Faith in Action

At the end of every year, I open my journal and write a year end assessment of sorts to evaluate another year’s journey.  Usually, I write it in the back of the church during Watchnight service.  It’s become a very helpful practice as I strive to honestly evaluate my journey and record the lessons that I have learned along the way. 

While I’ll save the more personal sharings for my journal; here are some abbreviated versions of some of the things I learned in 2006.  (in no particular order)

1.  Those Who Make A Conscious Decision To Be Different Should Become Acclimated To Walking Alone.

     This is probably one of the hardest lessons that I learned.  At a much earlier stage in my journey, I naively thought that the road of activism and organizing was a crowded one.  I thought I would find myself among many who like me made a decision to be voices for justice, liberation, and peace.  Oh how wrong I was!  As much as I’ve studied the Ancestors and Elders, I must have overlooked their isolation in my eagerness to analyze their achievements.  At different moments this year I have felt as alone as I’ve ever felt in my life.  Some would call it solitary confinement.  I have been imprisoned by my own passion and God-given purpose.  The most tortuous thing about it all is that I can see the keys to my own escape.  There - dangling from the deputy’s belt is my key to the crowd, companionship, mainstream acceptance - just… within …my reach.  If I would just shut up about Darfur, stop preaching about justice, deny my addiction to liberation, strangle my love for my people, surrender my understanding of myself as an African in America I could be normal again.  But every time I reach for the key and the deputy tauntingly leans toward my outstretched fingers; I am reminded that God has given me the burden of purpose - unreturnable, unquestionable, irresistible purpose and I’ll find peace only at the completion of that purpose.  So I continue on the path - enduring whatever I must and recognizing the truth in the words of another lonely traveler that it indeed is like fire shut up in the bones.

2.  Relationships Need To Be Constantly Evaluated

     You, no doubt, have heard this one before.  People in your immediate circle must be evaluated from time to time in an effort to see how they are enhancing or detracting from your life’s path.  This isn’t necessarily a call to cut folk off, but the truth of the matter is that some people need to be repositioned if they become too much of a drag on where you are going or trying to go.  I’ve learned in this year that there are people in my circle who are blessings from God.  They challenge me, affirm me, correct me, inspire me, and love me.  I attempt to return to them all that they provide me and am willing to go the extra mile for them.  On the other hand, I’ve learned of some who I allowed in at the start of this year that need to be repositioned as we head into a new year.  In different ways, they’ve drained my energy, distracted, or delayed my progress (with my permission of course).  I think I’ve rounded up the lot of them and have now isolated them to areas where they can do no harm.  For some of them I would extend my hand in a time of need and for others I wouldn’t answer the phone if they called.  If that sounds too harsh to you - pray for me.  

3.  Organizing Christians In Baltimore (and elsewhere I suspect) Is A Very Very Difficult Task 

     Who knew that it would be this hard to organize Christians around social issues!  Good Lord!  It has been 100 miles of rough road for real.  I’ve learned that you can read “justice” oriented scripture all you want.  That doesn’t necessarily mean that the “saints” are going to care one iota about being advocates in the world.  At times I’ve wondered if congregants place more value on the personality of their pastors than they do the vitality and everyday practicality of the Word.  This town is hard.  One would think that with the thousands of churches that can be found in this city that there would be a greater witness found in the Christian community, but not so.  Church folk watch the news, read the paper, and see these streets everyday and have by and large (and for different reasons) displayed a dangerous disinterest in “earthly things” preferring instead to contemplate heaven, be titillated by the latest religious cliche’, and shout about health, wealth, and prosperity.  The conditioning that they’ve undergone is deep and not easily jarred.  The result is a very religious population and not a very “Christian” one.  While I’ve spent many sentences on those who have yet to see the interconnectedness of their Faith; there are many others who see the full circle of their Faith and strive to re-direct resources and energy to a greater balance of the application of Christian religious teaching.  The goal in 2007 is to join with others to connect these committed ”awakened ones” so that we might labor together and reap a harvest that yields much fruit.

4.  In The World Of Activism; Focus Yields Effectiveness

     At the start of this year I was so excited about Young Clergy for Social Change and all of the things that we were talking about doing.  We had a good sized core group, resources, and a never ending supply of ideas.  As the year, progressed however, I began to recognize that we were trying to do too much too fast.  The arena of Faith-based activism is wide open for those determined to work in that field and our young knees were trying to cover the breadth and width of the land with terrific speed.  Ultimately, however, Young Clergy began to experience some bumps in the road.  The core group started dropping off - we started the year with about 7 or 8 members and as we head into 2007 we are down to 2 committed members spearheading the charge.  What happened?  A number of things - I think we were all a bit uneducated about the marathon of activism thinking inaccurately that it was a sprint to the finish.  Second, the core group didn’t have the cohesiveness to withstand the weight of sustained service.  Third, at different times it can be safely said that I was overzealous, self-righteous,  and relentless in my pursuit to see us demonstrate an alternative here in Baltimore and stop complaining about established pastors or over-analyzing social problems.  My passionate fire could have very well turned some away.  But, finally I think our lack of focus was a major factor.  We were everywhere with our ideas and no where with the implementation of our ideas.  Aside from our activism on the genocide in Darfur issue; we were more talkers than walkers.  As we head into 2007, the name of the game is FOCUS.  With only two people left on the field; it should be easier for us to be realistic about what we can and can’t do. 

5.  My Time Is Valuable

     This year I was everywhere!  You should see my ‘06 Calendar.  It’s full of meetings, protests, rallies, preaching engagements, etc.  Almost every day of the week (Mon-Thurs) I was at some meeting or event networking, planning, or gathering information.  While this year-long adventure laid a great foundation for my entrance into the world of activism; I won’t be continuing this exercise in 2007.  I’ve gathered enough intelligence now to know who is more prone to talk and who is determined to “do”.  I don’t need to go to everyone’s meetings any more in an attempt to affirm myself as an active member in the liberation struggle.  I’ve concluded that some folks just like to meet and plan.  They like the feeling of coming together and talking about what needs to be done.  Other folks have dedicated themselves to revolutionary diatribes.  They like coming together and down talking White people and White Supremacy to no end.  They get their kicks from saying words out of their mouths that shock people and get others excited.  And then there are people/organizations who are committed to meeting only when absolutely necessary, cooperating with others in an attempt to combine resources, doing away with the deadly “superstar mentality”, and analyzing only as a precursor to identifying the goal and crafting a strategy.  These are the people whom I will work and serve with in the new year.  My time is too valuable.  I will not waste it sitting around with people who aren’t prepared to sacrifice and serve.  I will not confuse activity with accomplishment in 2007. 

Well that’s the short list - lol.  As you might imagine; this year I’ve learned a lot  and lived a lot.  I pray that as ‘07 winds on that I remember these lessons and fully graduate to the next level of my journey.