Of all people in the world, we at World Vision should be the most comfortable with change. We exist as an organization to catalyze change. For that to occur, to paraphrase John Calvin, “we must be changed and always changing”. As Paul says in Galatians 6:15, “the only thing that matters is the new creation”. The one thing we seek is change.
The first question to ask therefore is: For how much change dare we hope?
The gospel proclaims the good news that God loves us so much that God accepts us the way we are. We are loved and accepted not because of our good deeds or pious prayers, but because the God of love offers us new life in Christ. That’s the good news…but there is even more.
The gospel goes on to proclaim that God loves us too much to leave us the way we are. As wonderful as it is to be accepted, our human spirits long for more. We want change. We want to be different. We want our world to be a better place. Life that leaves us trapped in our personal inadequacies and insecurities is not good enough.
Circumstances that paralyse people in needless suffering and inherited injustices must be overcome. To put new people in old structures will produce stagnation, depression or exploitation.
World Vision has created in Zambia community centres called Sanduka centres. There, women who’ve been trapped in the sex trade are given opportunity through counseling, health care, Bible study, friendship, vocational training and micro-loans to begin a new life.
Sanduka is the Tonga word for “deep change”. It’s also a Swahili word for a box in which a person carries important possessions. When someone moves from place to place, they put their most important things in a sanduka.
Putting the two words together gives us a wonderful image. Deep change involves retaining what’s precious in our lives, and receiving radically new gifts. World Vision could aptly be named Sanduka. We are committed to participating in the deep change God seeks for creation. In fact, we are content with nothing less.
We receive our commission, our mandate for participation in this deep change work of God in a very familiar passage: “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” Mt 28:16-20.
We see in this passage that the gospel is highly political, economic, spiritual and social – every aspect of our lives and societies is to be transformed. In fact, not just people, but nations, principalities and powers are to repent and become new in Christ. Because of the interdependence of the salvation of human life, natural creation, and even the spiritual systems and structures, our witness to the Kingdom is not complete until all aspects of life are transformed.
This naturally leads us to a second question: What makes change possible?
Participating in this transformation depends on the nature of the authority that can bring that transformation. We don’t change the world. We certainly can’t change someone else’s life or convert anyone to Christ. That’s all God’s work. |
