Is an Exodus our Only Option?

A friend came over yesterday evening. He has established a better life for himself. He is now working and renting an apartment in a "safer" neighborhood. We got into a heated discussion. We both have strong personalities. He thinks that, just as for himself and other members of his family that the only hope for those here in this neighborhood is to move out. At best a sort of Exodus out of bondage "out of the rat hole" if you will.

I tried to explain that we hope that there could be established a growing real hope for those in the neighborhood. That there are some that will for many different reasons either not be able to leave or want to leave.

He came back at me with the fact that he hasn't seen it in the 10 years we have lived here. That I have been here for 10 years and that all of our friends who Jude and I have helped that are doing well have moved out of this immediate neighborhood. I tried to point to the Cambria building on Union... and We both acknowledged that this was just the tip of the iceberg for so many and that it is still surrounded by some tuff street realities... and plus for my friend it is not actually directly in this neighborhood.

This is the first layer of challenge... Vision... and when the best of a neighborhood gets a Vision for a better life it sees it happening somewhere else. Not here. There is a deep unbelief that things could be better here.

There is a tension between the Biblical motif’s of Exodus, Wandering in the Wilderness, and A New Jerusalem. I have seen all of these lived out within various the church communities. I have to continue to be faithful to my call. I want to be a sign of the coming kingdom here even as my friend passionately seeks to aid himself and others by establishing an Exodus from here.

We can't force those with inner resources to spend those resources here. I wish it were easier to inspire a hope that was stronger than the struggle here. I still work to see this while I bless those who have chosen to work out their life somewhere else.

I am thankful for the conversation and the coffee... and the friendship that remains. I hope we continue to stretch each other's thinking.

JAW1