American Prophet is a “what if” story?
What if you had a dream that came true? Or, what if you simply had a “word” you felt compelled to share? It’s not a message you necessarily want to deliver because some people will not want to hear it. Prophecies and parables often make people uncomfortable. Some may even be offended by this one. And yet, you share it anyway, because that’s what prophets do. Even reluctant ones.
While American Prophet and Hometown Prophet are works of fiction, the stories are woven around real events…Moments that are so significant they have the power to change the way we see the world – and possibly ourselves, if we let them. Even if we haven’t been personally touched by these events, if we are humble and open, we can still learn, empathize, and grow from them – individually, and as a society.
The disregard so many fellow Christians show toward moral issues facing our country is disheartening; issues such as gun violence, the environment, minority injustice, and healthcare. Why does the secular world seem more concerned with these problems than the church? Perhaps, it is easier to wait for the rapture than to work on real world solutions. Or, they have become co-opted by a political party with a very different agenda.
No longer concerned with ethics in leadership, the religious right has relinquished any moral high ground they may have have once held. They have lost touch with their Gospel roots, forgetting the essentials of what Jesus preached, prophesied, and performed miracles about. Over and over, we see how Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, and admonished us to protect the marginalized. At its heart, it’s about love.
When an “issue” touches you, the narrative shifts… When a loved one is unable to afford decent healthcare, or a home is wiped out in a flood or a fire, your perspective changes. A mom becomes an advocate when it’s her child who is the victim of a school shooting, or bullied for being different. Even the most strident Republican can change his position on same sex marriage when his own daughter is gay.
We shouldn’t have to be personally affected by an issue in order to understand someone else’s experience. Good people have the capacity for empathy. (It’s what makes them good.) As Christians, we are supposed to be known for our empathy and love. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13: 34 and 35)
Love is who we are; what we do. It is why Christians could offer the cure to a hurting, divided nation.
