The Fall of Every Sparrow

Wendell Berry in writing on economy says...

"For the thing that troubles us about the industrial economy is exactly that it is not comprehensive enough, that, moreover, it tends to destroy what it does not comprehend, and that it is dependent upon much that it does not comprehend. In attempting to criticize such an economy, we naturally pose against it an economy that does not leave anything out, and we can say without presuming too much that the first principle of the Kingdom of God is that it includes everything; in it, the fall of every sparrow is a significant event. We are in it whether we know it or not and whether we wish to be or not. Another principle, both ecological and traditional, is that everything in the Kingdom of God is joined both to it and to everything else that is in it; that is to say, the Kingdom of God is orderly. A third principle is that humans do not and can never know either all the creatures that the Kingdom of God contains or the whole pattern or order by which it contains them."

This is what I believe we are called to -- whatever it is that we do -- as Christians in our work in the world -- and certainly in regards to economy. That is to say that if what we are doing is not encouraging and building up the attention to the fall of every sparrow than we are not doing what we are called to do. And by the fall of every sparrow -- I mean the fall of every sparrow in our local communities (where we see the sparrows as they fall)... But so often we don't pay attention -- we don't know the names.

This is what I believe we are called to in the life of the church -- that is to say to build economies that are not at odds with the Kingdom of God. That's saying it too lightly. We are called to build economies -- in our communities -- that celebrate and recognize the presence and power of the Kingdom of God.

How can we do that? We do that every time we take time to get to know not only the names of the poor, but the lives of those who are poor -- the gifts, the dreams, the calling and claim of God that is upon each life. The Kingdom of God doesn't waste one such life -- and yet every day those lives, those productive, energetic, passionate lives are sharing and pouring out an abundance and the church (and the world) barely notices. So...we can take the time to listen to dreams. The second is that we can try to connect the dreamers...help us each see one another more clearly. A third is that we can support those in our neighborhoods who have a gift for organizing the dreamers.

I think it would also mean recognizing the abundance of the soil and the waters of Fall Creek and how those might serve the economy we call the Kingdom of God. It could mean that in the summer program the young people would be taken fishing by some of our neighbors -- along Fall Creek -- and then the fish cooked and shared together. De'Amon mentioned someone at staff meeting this week, who is a neighbor who takes her grandchildren fishing and might be interested in doing it with others. It could mean organizing a farmer's market from small farmers right outside Indianapolis and within our own neighborhood -- so that together we can support one another and recognize the way we are all tied together. That would be recognizing that economy of the Kingdom of God, perhaps. Or it could be, at least.

It might mean hiring neighbors to do some crazy things. What about picking three blocks and hiring a neighbor on each block to go and knock on every door and say to the folks living there: "Tell you what -- we'll bankroll anything you want to do on this block that will be fun, or will improve the quality of life, or will make use of an abandoned lot or home -- but it can't be obscene or illegal. There are only two rules...everybody in the household must be involved and one household can't do whatever it is, alone (there must be more than one household involved)." Doesn't that build the economy of the Kingdom of God? Or what about asking all the people who are interested in health care if they would be willing to take blood pressure cuffs and blood sugar machines and knock on every door in their block and use those "tools" as an opportunity to get to know their neighbors...find out what is going on in the lives of the people there? Isn't that knowing the fall of every sparrow?

What about how we care for each other in the economy of our neighborhood around schools and children and families and churches? What if the churches could work out something with the schools so that if a parent gave their approval - if a young person was having a hard time the school would let a group from the neighborhood and some of the churches know and they would pray for and send encouraging notes to the family as they struggle through that time? What about that? What would it be like for a parent who is struggling with a difficult time with their child to know that they are not alone? Isn't that helping us see and know the power and presence of the Kingdom of God? Isn't that an economy that is present already?

All I'm trying to suggest is that we need to let our imaginations go a bit and trust the Spirit at work in our lives and hearts and minds to build on what is already present -- the wonderful abundance of forgiveness, grace, hope and love...even in the midst of violence, injustice, poverty, and fear. An economy that recognizes the Kingdom of God is one I want to invest in.

Today I'm driving to Evansville so I can spend some time tomorrow with the folks at Central UMC who are doing some good work in their community there. I'm looking forward to spending time in that community and to see the economy of the Kingdom of God at work in that place.