Thanks for adding to the complexity.

I struggle with this divide a lot. One way that I address it is to make sure that the lattes I buy are fair trade; at least that way I know that the farmers growing the coffee beans in Guatemala or Ethiopia are getting a fair deal.

But that leads to another question: fair trade is more expensive. So is buying organic, hormone-free food. In our quest to be more “natural,” more just, and better for the environment with our purchasing decisions, aren’t we just creating a greater social divide in our own country? I mean, there are little kids in the low-income neighborhood where I work, who would be thrilled if their families could afford to eat any fresh fruit, and wouldn’t care whether it was organic or not.

Things aren’t black and white. I wish they were. It gives me a headache– not to mention a heartache– trying to figure all of this out. But at least more and more people are beginning to think about it and to ask questions. I think that will lead society as a whole in the right direction eventually. If we can just sift through the questions and the options and the ideas collectively, as free speech has allowed us to do for the past 230 years in America, then maybe, just maybe we’ll be able to come up with solutions for everybody.

In the meantime, I know that my personal calling is to help the poor. And if that means experiencing a continuous cold shower of culture shock as I liase between social groups, then I guess I’ll just have to learn to cope somehow.

-Mel

You mentioned your job. What do you do?

Josh

In my thoughts lately, I’ve been getting around to what you said: “As young emerging followers of Christ, are we seeking out and intentionally giving time to people who don’t share our taste in music, art, movies, computers and customized RSS readers?”

And, although I agree whole-heartedly with what you say, I’ve arrived at this. In the same way that Paul traveled to Mars Hill to speek to the educated upper-class, those who were already seeking a higher existence (a purpose in life so-to-speak), we sometimes blog….to speak to the educated upper-class, those who are already seeking a higher existence (a purpose in life so-to-speak). On the flip-side, Paul used his time in prison to minister to the lowest of lows….not just the homeless, but the criminal homeless. So, we (hopefully) spend the time we find ourselves on the streets, ministering to the homeless.

So, I don’t think that blogging and the internet revolution signal the extinction of ministry to the poor and weak. There are certain tools for certain jobs….and internet communication is just another tool in the shed, useful for some purposes and not for others. However, for us as followers of Christ, I agree with you that we, as Tom Stites states, “[…] need to remember that they’re citizens[children of God], too, and to take care to make sure they have easy access to quality journalism[the gospel of Jesus Christ] that squarely addresses the issues that affect their lives[salvation, etc].