We are all familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan told by Jesus when asked by an expert in Jewish religious law (Lk 10:25-37) what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. The implications of the parable are really quite extraordinary in that all people are to be seen as neighbors deserving our love and concern. (See an earlier post, Who is My Neighbor?, from December 2020.)
In another parable, also found in Luke (Lk 14:1,7-14), Jesus speaks to how one lives among those who are our neighbors. It is important to appreciate that the first century culture was honor-shame based, that is, the sought after “currency” of the day was honor, and was highly valued. Shame was not simply embarrassment, but could be highly detrimental and significant, in that one’s social and business prospects could be undermined; one might even find themselves shunned. In this parable Jesus challenges the honor-shame culture, and the caste system it creates and sustains. His teaching speaks directly to the virtue of humility and how we relate to others, especially those among us who are unable to “pay us back.” In a modern democratic society in which political rhetoric emphasizes that all are (created) equal, it is easy to miss the importance of Jesus’ teaching. Although the significant and growing gap between the wealthiest among us and everyone else is giving lie to the assumption that all have equal access to resources and opportunity.
Despite praiseworthy ideals, socioeconomic segregation is prevalent across our society today. Taking Houston as an example, life-expectancy, a measure of the overall quality of life, can vary by as much as ten years depending upon zip code. Oftentimes, the geographic and social separation among us hinder us from encountering and establishing relationships with those whose life experience is different from ours, especially if there are also cultural, and religious differences. In Jesus we see the parable lived out in the type of people he kept company with, often over the objections of the religious leaders of his day. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. understood Jesus’ call and its demands in this way: “Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.”
The Power of Friendship
It will come as no surprise that relationships, especially across socioeconomic lines, are important to developing a beloved community. While everyone we meet may be our neighbor, not every neighbor will become a friend. Becoming and remaining a friend is a different level of engagement and commitment as we’re all aware. Typically friends are made in and during our day-to-day social intercourse, e.g., school, summer camp, work, sporting activities, and various other interests we share with people in our socioeconomic sphere. We value our friendships, but do we appreciate how powerful these committed relationships can be? David Brooks recently wrote an editorial titled, “What Is It About Friendship That Is So Powerful?”. In the editorial Brooks highlights a recently published academic study that documents the power of friendships across class lines to dramatically improve a child’s likelihood of realizing upward socioeconomic mobility during their lifetime; early childhood education, improved schools, stable families, neighborhood jobs were not nearly as impactful as cross-class friendships. It is well known that friend networks have a strong influence on changing individual behavior (N. Christakis), largely because they shape our perception of what is normal or acceptable, and ultimately, how we see ourselves. Relationships with trusted, caring friends can also shape how we perceive and experience reality. When kids who grow up in affluent families with college-educated parents walk on to an ivy-league campus they see a different campus than a kid who comes from a family and community with little experience of college and campus life. Less affluent kids will feel anxious and put-off in the same situation unless they have a more affluent friend(s) who have, even unconsciously, been talking to them about college and college life, i.e., making college seem more familiar and accessible. Friendships open us to change, introducing us to new ideas and new experiences; friends can call out aspects of ourselves of which we are completely unaware.
Making a difference in the life of another person requires time and commitment, it requires friendship. Friendships open the possibility of transformation in us and the person who is our friend. The positive benefits of cross class friendships are innumerable: a new vision for the future that was previously unimagined; a more positive sense of self and self-worth; the discovery of faith or the strengthening of faith; support in times of crisis. And these benefits will almost certainly be mutual between friends who travel together for any amount of time.
The Trinity & Humanity
Genesis 1:26 reads, “Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness ….” In this verse I believe we are given insight into God’s intended destiny for humanity, that is, an interconnected community of love and caring; a beloved community centered in God. Scripture, as a whole, reinforces this vision, Jesus’s teaching about the Kingdom of God being a prime example. A community in which there is abundance, none are excluded, none are left behind and all enjoy life-giving fellowship with God and with one another. One could argue that the social science findings of Christakis, Chetty et al., and others are confirmation of the Divine intent revealed in Christ Jesus, his mission and sacrifice for the sake of the world.
We might debate whether the Church should be serving the community for the primary purpose of evangelizing or to meet the needs of those who are poor, marginalized or the victims of injustice. However, I think this a false dichotomy in light of what has been revealed about God’s intent. When we come to faith and mature in our understanding of God's love and vision, not only for each individual, but for the community of man and all creation in relation to God, it becomes irrelevant where and how we begin. The important thing to remember is that we go forth in the power of the Spirit to love and serve the Lord through our service to others so that all may come to know Jesus as the Christ and become members of the beloved community called forth in and by him.
While we cannot inaugurate the Kingdom of God, we can collaborate with God in moving forward with its realization. In fact, this work is at the heart of the Church’s call. Given the importance of relationships, and the powerful influence of family and friend networks, especially across class lines, on the overall well being of individuals and communities, it is important that the Church seek to overcome the segregation of our communities along socioeconomic and cultural lines. What this will look like for a given congregation will be different depending upon their geographical location relative to neighborhoods that differ in economic and racial demographics and the demographics of a particular church community. In any case, given the revelation received by the Church through Scripture and science, to not act would be to neglect God’s vision and our call. In that light, let us prayerfully consider our individual and corporate response to our call in the place God has planted us.