Early this morning, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed. I couldn’t help but notice the numerous press conferences pastors are holding all over the country. In each one, pastors put on their stoles and jump in front of the cameras. The problem is that such performances are unbelievable. Just this morning, I saw pastors loudly about social justice. Most of them are the laziest workers for the marginalized and oppressed that I know. It’s all a charade. How many of these churches have opened their doors to give sanctuary to immigrants? The answer is very few. How many of these pastors have been willing to sacrifice their jobs and pensions for the least of these? The answer is very few. How many of these pastors have been willing to give themselves over to jail terms for justice? The answer is very few. How many of these pastors have held grieving mothers as they mourn the loss of their murdered children in our inner cities? The answer is very few. How many of these pastors are out in the streets protesting police brutality? The answer is very few. I could go on and on. The answer is always very few. Since these pastors love to pose, let’s set the cameras up in the areas of greatest need to draw them there. Then, perhaps the cameras will be good for something. Make no mistake my friends, we live in an increasingly scary time. In the coming days, more and more will be demanded of those who seek justice. We don’t need any more pastors pontificating at press conferences. We don’t need anyone else talking about a justice they’re unwilling to sacrifice for. Now is the time for more than just words. Now is the time for pastors to give their lives and livelihoods.
Amen.
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