Hi! I’m Doug Kahl, LSSM’s Organizational Chaplain. The writings that will appear in the "Faith at Work" blog series are intended to encourage the use of what we believe in our work lives. They will, I hope, also encourage dialogue about the public use of what is often thought of as personal – our faith. Welcome to the conversation.
BLOGGING ON LIVING THAT REFLECTS OUR FAITH
The tumult in the public square these days has me wondering about living a life that reflects faith in a nation that has a spiritual/Christian foundation. I’m not seeing the faith that builds and maintains living for the furthering of the common good influencing our decision making.
The Bible is filled with stories about and “formulas” for what it means to live out our faith, especially for those of us who are Christian. My favorite “formula” is recorded in the Old Testament book of Micah, chapter 6, verse 8. It reads, with my additions in parentheses, like this:
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice (making individuals, communities, and the cosmos whole by upholding goodness and impartiality), to love mercy (when we are spared from judgment and harm), and to walk humbly (free from pride, knowing that I am in inadequate but also knowing who I am in Christ) with God.”
In a recent New York Times opinion piece these statistics caught my eye:
1. 400 people control more of the wealth than 150 million of their fellow Americans.
2. Average middle class family income has stagnated over the past 30 years while the richest 1 percent have seen income skyrocket.
3. Political scientists have shown that it’s not public opinion but the opinions of the wealthy that predict votes in the Senate.
What’s all this say about justice, mercy, and humility (the very heart of faith) in America today?
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