One of the common trials we all face in life is the tedium of bureaucracy. How many of us have been chased around trying to find that one person or fill out that one form so we can finally sort out our problem?
Amazon has recently been sued for such systems, and they are by no means alone in their drive to maximise their profits and power. Yet what is the cost? People are paying the price – financially, with their health, with their time, and the list goes on!
I recently heard a story of a patient at a hospital who deteriorated to the point of death because none of the wards had space nor did any of the doctors want to deal to him because they were so busy with their own patients. Fortunately, a senior doctor stepped in and managed to help this man.
The broken world around us
Friends, what I’m talking about here are systems that are broken. We tend to think of systems and technologies as inherently neutral. Yet, they have been designed by flawed and sinful humans who, consciously or not, integrate their own sinful biases into their systems.
Over time, as more people get involved in setting up policies and other systems, more corruption inadvertently seeps in – and so we are left with what Paul calls “powers and principalities” that are fundamentally sinful and broken.
Waging War against these Systems
Paul’s exhortation to us in Ephesians chapter 6 is to wage battle against these systems and forces by using the armour of God. A point of note here: I’m not in any way abdicating humans of their responsibility in sin – I’m merely pointing out things we thought are neutral, are actually sinful.
With the armour of God and His mighty power, we can combat the rot that has seeped into the very fabrics and institutions of our society. But how do we do this?
Being a blessing, being salt
Jeremiah’s encouragement to the Israelite exiles in Babylon is the same for us:
Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 5-7)
We are called to work in the city, work in the systems, to be involved! The tendency for the exiles would have been to isolate and withdraw themselves from Babylonian society, thinking that this was a temporary exile (and it was!). But, God encourages them to settle down, to become part of the local community and society – and then to work for the good of the city!
This parallels Jesus’ teaching of being salt and light in Matthew! We are called to be salt – whose primary purpose was preservation against rotting meat in the ancient world. That is our role in society today! We are called to work against these systems that have been shaped and influenced in sin for the good of the city, the country, and our world!
Fighting back
This is why it feels like a grind at times – the system is actively fighting back and is sinful in and of itself. We, dear friends, are meant to fight against the systems that seek to dehumanize and shut us down. We are meant to fight for the good of our fellow brothers and sisters and against the decline of our society into sin.
This is not just through legislation, but in our workplaces, neighbourhoods, communities! We have been uniquely placed where we are for such a time as this, like Esther, to advance the gospel and the kingdom of God into our broken and dying world.
I disciple university students in the University of Canterbury through the Navigators while currently working towards a Master of Divinity. Outside of this, my wife and I enjoy rock climbing and going on adventures with our dog.
