The Earth seems Angry and so do the people.

The cyclone in Myanmar. An earthquake in China. Tornadoes in Arkansas and Oklahoma and Georgia. Fires in Florida and Coloradado.

Fighting and horror in Darfur, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan. Israel and Palestine cannot figure out how to be neighbors. Zimbabwe is in the grip of a dictator drunk on power. The myth of redemptive violence is everywhere, on the battle grounds, on the streets and on the playground. Even the Church believes the myth, or at least is silent about it when our own governments turns to violence to solve their problems. War is some how different, at least when we're the ones waging it. Everyone always thinks their own wars are just wars. And it seems now that we have even pushed the earth into using violence to defend herself against us.

The world and the people seem particularly angry lately. Everything is shaking. What am I doing about it? Feeling horrified, and then going back to my coffee and my day unchanged. Being a Christ-follower has to mean something more than this. Because if it doesn't, then it means nothing. We can't follow Jesus and drag our comfort and our nationalism and our homeland security behind us. Sometimes I'm not convinced that the Church is even a good place to learn how to follow Jesus. The Church seems almost indistinguishable from everything and everybody else. There has to be a better way. The better Way. What would it be like if we actually took Jesus seriously? Loved and prayed for our enemies. Turned the other cheek. Sold our possessions and gave them to the poor. Gave to the poor quietly even when it meant nothing for our own reputations. Forgave freely. Served one Master: God, not money and not country. Did not store up treasure, except in heaven. Risked persecution even from -- maybe especially from the religious people. Acted as peacemakers. Laid down our lives. Really lived as aliens and strangers in the land and not as citizens of affluence.

Last week I met a woman named Diane Nilan who sold everything she had and bought a used RV to travel around the country interviewing homeless children and families and working to make people aware of their stories and to impact the attitude of churches and government. Now that sounds like a Christ-follower.