I’ve been stuck recently by the amount of pessimism in our world today and the amount of persistent injustice through harassment and bullying. One of the more visible examples is the death of gifted musician, Tyler Clementi who committed suicide September 22nd, apparently after discovering that his Rutgers University roommate live-streamed him in a homosexual encounter without Tyler’s knowledge. This harassment went beyond the sophomoric heterosexual webcam scene from the movie American Pie
and apparently Tyler was overcome by a level of pessimism he saw no way out from.
Given the rash of suicides (pessimism with a death sentence) resulting from bullying (persistence of provoked injustice), all I can do is wonder...
• What would be justice in these cases? and,
• What, in light of these examples of injustice, should we pray?
Thankfully God gives us the gift of prayer, a direct connection not for the outcome, but rather for relationship… God wants us to be in open communication, to be real with God, to authentically share our frustration, sorrow and pessimism with God persistently. God loves us so much that God wants us to share ourselves with God through honest, heartfelt conversation. Prayer does not necessarily immediately change things. There will still be pessimism and heartbreak in our lives, but God wants us to share all of our highs and lows with God. A relationship with God is built through ongoing conversation, us talking (sometimes yelling and screaming) and then listening, being quiet in God’s presence.
Prayer changes one self because God can be trusted more than any human relationship with others… and even with ourselves (for we often get in the way and sabotage our relationships through selfishness, control, and impatience). In the book of Luke, there is a lot of encouragement to pray. We are given examples of Jesus' praying, and if he of all people needed to pray, how much more do we need to (if we are honest with ourselves)?
In the story about the persistent widow in Luke, Jesus is trying to encourage his followers to see beyond their pessimism, recent set-backs and disappointments and their perceived lack of response from God. It seems to me that because even the judge caves in and gives justice to the widow, we can trust in God (who is all about unconditional love and justice) will love us and see that justice is done for you and me.
But the world is both good and evil. There is always injustice, someone or some system that takes advantage of the poor, the widowed, the alone, you and me… Harassment and bullying happen, even to the point of suicide. And we wonder, we get angry and we often forget, or defiantly don’t raise these concerns with God (the God who longs for us to do just that). In the end, Jesus' story is not about a sketchy judge and it's not about a pushy widow. In the end it's a story about God and about you and me. This story is about the God who has and will love you always. A God who will always listen to you
and be there for you, no matter what!
In the Creed song "What's This Life For?" the band wrestles with the suicide of a friend and they bring their music as a prayer to God. The band doesn’t sing a syrupy sweet praise to God, but an agonizing questioning prayer to God. Their song echoes the pessimism many experience and the question of life’s meaning in a world full of injustice…
Hurray for a child that makes it through
If there's any way, because the answer lies in you
Their laid to rest, before they've know just what to do
Their souls are lost, because they could never find
What's this life for
I see your soul it's kind of gray
You see my heart, you look away
You see my wrist, I know your pain
I know your purpose on your plane
Don't say a last prayer, because you could never find
What's this life for
But they ain't here anymore
Don't have to settle no goddamned score
Because we all live under the reign of one king
God the king whose reign we live under is one who wants us to bring our questions directly to God through prayer. The story of the persistent widow reminds us that justice comes, even in a world filled with unjust judges and persistent bullies to those who persist regardless of how much faith they have, or how pessimistic their reality.
So what injustice is in your life that makes you pessimistic? And, what, in light of your personal experience with injustice, do, or could you pray for?
Please share your thoughts and comments. If you would like to learn more about Pastor Bill Petersen and his ministry go to http://www.faithlutheranct.org/ .
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