As I write this final posting on this question, a second and
even more severe earthquake has shaken the nation of Chile. Although far greater in magnitude than the
one in Haiti, the actual number of deaths appears to be much fewer than in
Haiti (though the full picture is not yet in).
This is not to discount even one death, but the differences between the
two quakes and their effects are striking.
One thing certain, there is no moral difference in these earthquakes. Either that or we have a very arbitrary
Master of our universe, for whom justice and morality are but whims like some
adolescent video game.
Chile is in great pain today, as is Haiti, and “good” and “bad”
people alike are suffering in both countries.
While much of Haiti’s disaster stems from its endemic poverty, Chile is
a stronger nation economically and politically.
Moreover, Chile “benefitted” from the worst earthquake ever recorded (in
1964) which has made it all the more prepared this time. Still there is plenty of pain and suffering
to go around in both countries today.
Haiti has been wracked by systemic problems of the worst
magnitude. Whatever sins of voodoo there
may be, there are most certainly egregious sins unaccounted for by
nation-states and greedy merchants and slavers.
Pat Robertson referenced some demonic pact made by a few Haitians two
centuries ago, but I wonder why he did not also refer to the pact made with the
devil by so-called Christian nations to enslave Haitians again and again.
Experts in the field say that abuse (sexual, physical and
emotional) has multigenerational impact on people and some of these experts
speak of needing three, four or five generations to eradicate abuse in families
and communities. This number of
generations, by the way, is a comparable period of time the writings of Moses
(Exodus 20:5, for example) speak of “curse” existing in a family (unlike
blessing which extends for ten generations).
Such “curse” can be prolonged and exacerbated when healing does not come
and the sins of nations are multiplied when those nations do not bring healing
in places they have cursed, such as Haiti.
Which brings up a very important Scriptural principle. We speak of compassion as being a strong biblical
value, and rightly so. But compassion is
more than “merely” meeting immediate crisis need, as valuable as that is. The concept of God’s blessings on behalf of
the poor and needy and oppressed go much deeper and longer than that and extend
to chronic need. It is what the Scriptures
call peacemaking, or to be closer to the original words, being people of Shalom.
Shalom, God’s
peace, is not merely the absence of conflict, but speaks of the presence of
God, where God’s will is accomplished in all its fullness. Acts of mercy, as are going on in Haiti and
Chile right now, are very much in the will of God, even when done by those who
do not recognize God, for all goodness in whatever form, is sourced in God. These acts of mercy and relief are often done
to or for people, who are powerless in the face of severe trauma. They are part of what makes up Shalom, to be sure.
But the biblical concept of Shalom also speaks of making right (righteousness) the whole sphere
of human environment and endeavor, and bringing justice (doing good as well as
stopping evil) to all. And here is
compassion and “acts of mercy” or “relief” on the long-term scale, long after
popular interest has waned -- anyone thought of Aceh lately?
Whatever pain these tragedies have produced, they open the
door to much healing – if we as Believers seize the opportunity and extend what
is called “development” as well as relief.
“Development” is a word that makes many evangelicals itchy. It sounds “social” and “social” sounds unspiritual. But development is really wrapped up in this
concept of Shalom, of bringing peace
and wholeness to generations of people through addressing systemic problems. Development is not something we do to people or even for people, it is something we do with people, as we walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). Development is also “doing justice” and “loving
mercy” long-term (again, Micah 6:8), righting the wrongs of generations of
curses by bringing blessing.
Moreover the sphere of doing righteousness and justice is
not to be limited to Haiti and Chile or these immediate crises, but extends “far
as the curse is found” (to quote my favorite Christmas hymn, “Joy to the World”). And while the Bible does not say that charity begins at home, it is at home that we first
learn how to do compassion and righteousness and justice right, among the poor
and oppressed wherever we find them, whether “worthy” or not by our own finite
standards. For some, the question is
what to do in Haiti and Chile, for all the question is whether to obey God and
extend Shalom wherever we are.
[These concepts of “blessing” and Shalom are more fully developed in my upcoming book, Night Shift, to be published later this
year.]