We're Already Engaged!

I kind of like a movie made in 2003 called Tears of the Sun. It's about a team of U.S. Navy seals sent into Nigeria during a period of Civil War and genocide in order the extract a doctor from danger. Bruce Willis played the commander of the seal team (known to his soldiers as "L.T." for lieutenant) and Monica Belluci played the doctor. She refuses to leave unless the team also aids the escape of the people connected with her clinic. At one point, working their way to safety, the soldiers and refugees come upon a valley in which villagers are systematically being tortured and killed by marauding militiamen. L.T.'s soldiers suggest they lead the team around the valley, since the Seals are clandestine and not supposed to be involved directly in the internal conflict. Instead, L.T. orders snipers to take positions against the militiamen, and prepared to organize an assault and a rescue of the remaining villagers. In shock, one of the sergeants says, "L.T.!...Rules of engagement!" reminding him of the legalities of their situation. L.T. looks back at him sternly and says, "We're already engaged."

That is to say, if we know about it and have the means to do something about it, we're engaged.

When did the Church, the Body of Christ become insulated? When did we develop the tendency to say, "It doesn't affect us directly, so we're not involved"? When did we become more concerned with the thermostat setting in our comfortable sanctuaries than with those within sight of our buildings who will go to bed hungry? When did our hearts start burning more for whether or not the bills were paid than for whether or not lost people had the chance to meet Jesus? When did we decide God's job is to see to our personal comfort rather than to discomfort us so our eyes will open to the needs of those whom God loves?

We don't have the right to debate whether or not we will engage the world outside the walls of our church buildings. We exist, and we exist in God's world. We're already engaged. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.