Hello Church,
God is a big fan of the underdog. Read the Bible. God is always rooting for the person who has little chance of winning, succeeding or thriving. Adam and Eve couldn't follow even the simplest of rules. Abraham had no home. Moses' home was the wrong one. And from the time Israel started to exist, they were getting beat up by the neighborhood bully... be it Egypt, Persia or Babylonia.
And through it all, God was trying to root for Israel. Oh, sometimes He got angry with them and had to show them who God is. But by in large, He pulled for them.
Rooting for the underdog is a common Biblical theme. In theological terms it is 'free the oppressed'. Start with the widows and orphans and help those who need help the most.
This still applies today, I believe. However, there is a problem. Everyone seems to claim oppression.
Name your social issue and you'll find two or more sides that claim they are the ones being oppressed, whether you are talking about immigration, ethnicity, economics, sexuality, theology, biology, geography, etc; My favorite is when millionaire athletes argue with billionaire owners and both sides claim 'oppression' in some form.
This influx of victimization is a big problem in my book. It greatly waters down who the oppressed really are in the context of the Biblical witness. If EVERYBODY is oppressed, then what good is it when we are told to help those in need. The translation today seems to mean that we are supposed to help everyone. Sorry, but not everyone is being oppressed... at least not as God defines oppressed.
Egypt wasn't oppressed. Persia wasn't oppressed. Babylonia wasn't oppressed..... certainly not to the extent that God was rooting for them. We need to get back to the basics of what it means to be biblically oppressed. Economic oppression isn't when millionaires could be billionaires, but aren't allowed to be. It isn't when a young married couple wants a house, but has to settle for a condo. It isn't when I want Jeff Ruby's but instead have to settle for Texas Roadhouse..... or McDonalds.
Real oppression is when families have no clean water; when shoes are a lavish rarity; when working 12 hours a day allows you to buy some tortillas for that one meal a day; when skin color is a factor in any decision-making process; when age qualifies or disqualifies you from working any job; when the language you speak is attached to your inherent value; when you spend your day in the same room every day with no visitors or love;... I could go on, but being oppressed means that you don't get to be comfortable because others won't let you be. If someone chooses to be uncomfortable or chooses to be discontent and then complains about it, that isn't oppression. My mom had other words for that. 'Spoiled' comes to mind.
I won't dare to define you as oppressed or not. It certainly isn't my place to call you spoiled. That will probably get me into trouble (though that would give me a great excuse to claim oppression). I will challenge you, however, to look in the mirror and decide if you really have it that bad. If you don't, find ways to help those who do. Be God's hands and feet. Serve those in need. Show unconditional love.
If you do truly have it that bad, know that God is rooting for you. .... and give me a call because I'll be rooting for you too. And I'll do what I can and help the church do what they can to help you. I really mean that and so does God.
God is Good,
Pastor Joe
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