all is vanity

This week might be little off my usual path, but bear with me. And read Ecclesiastes if you haven't lately.

I love beautiful things, I love creating an enjoyable atmosphere in my home and exercising some nearly lost arts such as formal dinnerware, etc. However, as a Christian, ultimately this is not my home. This life is just a blip on the timeline of eternity, and we are here for such a short time. Pretty things won't go with us after we die.

In light of this, is it even ok to work at creating a beautiful home and home life? Sure. As long as that's not your end goal. I create a pleasurable environment in my home so that we may then invite others in, and be a place of respite and renewal for them. If we are ever honored enough to be "home" to a homeless person for a period of time, I don't want to slack off on the homemaking front merely because he/she isn't "important"; I want him/her to fully relax and feel like an honored guest - because he/she would be. I work to create seating areas in my home for us, but primarily to provide plenty of comfy spots for tushies to rest while they get fed.

I don't believe the Bible includes hospitality as a suggestion for Christians; I believe it's a mandate. The Bible says to care for orphans and widows. How many of us have given a home to an orphan or taken care of yardwork or groceries for a widow? Seriously, think about it. Taking care of orphans and widows is not mentioned as a task for the deacons, or the hospitality committee, or people who are "gifted" in that area. It just says to take care of them.

The Bible is full of commands to care for "the least of these" - orphans, widows, aliens, fellow believers, anyone who is hungry or thirsty or naked. Commands. It's not optional. Anything other than serving God and caring for the least of these is all vanity.

So jump in and get involved. Donate to charities that directly care for orphans, widows, aliens, or the impoverished. Become a foster or adoptive parent. "Adopt" a widow in your community to begin to care for - regularly, not just once. Fight for your government to welcome refugees - sign petitions, call your representative, run for local office yourself. When you see someone hungry, give them food. The Bible doesn't even say to try to discern whether that person holding the sign is truly homeless or if they're just needing their next fix. What another person does is between them and God; as Aslan says in C.S. Lewis's The Silver Chair, "it's not your story". Christians are only commanded to care for the hungry.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Volunteer with or begin a grassroots effort for your community to house refugees. Do like a friend of mine is, and build a tiny house for an organization that rescues women from sex trafficking.

Social justice is not the world's cause. It was Jesus's, and by extension, should be the cause of His followers as well. If you're not involved, you're not following Jesus. Plain and simple. You can do all the Bible studies you want, but if your life doesn't impact another person's life for the glory of God, you might as well be twiddling your thumbs. Christians, let's step up and be who we are called to be: light and hope in a dark world. It's our mission; now let's accept it.