What's Right?

Do the right, love goodness, and walk humbly with your God (Mic. 6:8)

There's been a lot of discussion in the media lately about rights, especially here in California as regards the backlash against the passage of Proposition 8 which amends the state constitution to restore marriage as being between one man and one woman. The demonstrators, though the majority of voters said otherwise, insist that their civil rights have been violated and they are now rallying state supreme court judges to reinstitute what they feel is their "right."

"Rights" is an interesting notion. The Preamble to the Constitution says that "all men are created equal and they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights...." Yet, people here are screaming that they are being denied something - something not given to them by the Creator. If anything, they want to push the idea of a Creator entirely out of the picture. I think this is because when we are gifted by God with something, it brings with it a measure of responsibility. American society's sense of rugged individualism doesn't like that. We don't want anyone in our lives who might somehow limit what we want to do.

Funny how after the September 11 attacks, our churches were full of people asking God to do something, as though He is just a vending machine that we tap when we want something. I can understand how the Old Testament prophets must have felt, watching society slide further and further down the slippery slope as they warned of what would come from such disobedience to God's laws. To quote Yogi Berra, this is like deja vu all over again. God must be shaking His head much as he did during the time of the prophet Isaiah: Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; But you have become weary of Me, O Israel (Is. 43:22).

And yet, just as in Old Testament times, God is always waiting for us to return to Him. He wants that so much that He sent His Son to die for us. And, as in Old Testament times, we need to be prophets to those around us who are teetering on the precipice, who have bought the lie that we don't need God. Lest we think that's not really happening, consider an article that CNN ran last week about the American Humanist Association. They are currently running a huge campaign in Washingon, plastering busses and other places with ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake."

Thanks, but I'd rather be good for Goodness' sake.