24 Days to Reflect on God's Heart for RedemptionSample

Redemption in the global village

Dr. Phillip Jenkins, distinguished professor of history and co-director for the program on historical studies of religion, Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, has written and lectured on the future of Christianity being positioned in the global south: Latin America, Africa, and Asia by 2050. He has said, “Much of the Bible is written for a poor world and a poor church.”

How does an agent of redemption reconcile the reality of life in the West with life in the developing world when it comes to matters of faith and action? The advent of the internet, the ease of international travel, the abundance of financial resources, and the opportunities for incarnational presence place a heavier responsibility on those of us in the West to serve “the least of these” in our global village. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus says when we give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, housing for the stranger, clothing to the naked, healing to the sick, and visitation to the prisoner, we also serve him. Jesus said these are “the least of these, his brothers.”

An agent of redemption is a person that keeps the memory of his or her redemption constantly in mind. This kind of person is also concerned about the story of redemption beyond the borders of the United States, throughout the global village. The vision for ministry among the fatherless has its roots in the teachings of Moses as instructions to the people of Israel before they crossed into the Promised Land.

Reflection questions:

• In Deuteronomy 24:17, Moses reminds the people of Israel to care for the widow, the fatherless, and the alien. How does this reminder apply to us today?
• Why were issues of justice so important to the widow, the fatherless, and the alien during biblical times?