Called Towards Advocacy

Prior to his conversion to the Paul who wrote letters to various churches, Saul, who would become Paul, stands and holds the robes of the ones who are stoning Stephen to death as he cries out to God, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” This is similar to Jesus’s last words on the Cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”. 

58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Even as Stephen is being stoned to death, even as Jesus is being crucified, they both advocate for those who are killing them. What a lesson for us. What a difficult example to follow.  

I mean seriously!  

As they are being killed by the empire of greed and power, they are asking God to forgive those who are killing them. Whew! 

What these two scenes help us realize is that we are called to advocacy. We are not supposed to stand by and hold the robes of those who are oppressing, and or killing in order that the system of the status quo remains and the empire of greed and power flourishes.  

We are called towards advocacy.  

We are not supposed to stand outside a burning building only to ask if the people inside are worthy of our help and resources.  

We are not called to stand by and hold the robes of the killers. We are called to stand and take the stoning sometimes. We are called to stand beside someone when they need a partner. We are called to stand for those who cannot stand on their own.  

We are being called to scream at the top of our lungs to a world that is falling deaf to the lament of those who are being oppressed, bullied, traumatized and killed because they don’t fit neatly into the system of the status quo, that simply grows stronger as those in power begin to lose their standing. The more that sinful empire of greed and power begins to lose it’s grip on power the more hateful and violent it becomes.  

Think of Shirley McLaine in Terms of Endearment as she screams for her daughter's medication to be given. As that iconic scene unfolds, we can hear and see the anxiety rising until the character must scream, “GIVE MY DAUGHTER HER MEDICATION!!!!, multiple times before the nurses begin to move.  

Again, we can all understand sticking up for our own. Bruce Springsteen even wrote and recorded a song, We Take Care of Our Own. Some would even say that we don’t truly take care of our own much less those we don’t consider our own.  

Jesus and Stephen expand our understanding of ‘our own’ to include all of humanity. We are challenged to realize that we are all, each of us, to advocate for those we may not even know. Jesus helps us understand our calling as humans and as Christians when we witness Him coming along side those who society would label as less than and not worthy of attention or love.  

Jesus Christ advocates by presence among and within folks that society leaves behind.  

I will advocate for my own child. I will advocate for my friends and family. That comes naturally. Not an easy act by any stretch. But it comes naturally to want to stick up for, advocate for, my child and loved ones.

I have learned that following Jesus means the sometimes uncomfortable act of advocating for those I do not know personally. This means challenging all systems of oppression that deny the full humanity of those deemed as “others” or those outside of so-called societal norms.

It may seem to be quite a daunting task to become and advocate and an oppressive system breaker. It is hard to be the one who stands up and calls truth to power and say this is wrong. It can cause anxiety and worry when we think about how our community will react.

It ain’t easy standing up to a bully. Especially when that bully is an entire system.

But stand we must and stand strong.

Even if our church, family, or community is telling us to sit down and shut up.

Maybe advocacy begins with the knowledge that at the end of the day we are all connected by the indwelling Spirit and Breath of Love: God.

In a sense the church must be loud and clear.  

We will not stand by and hold the robes of oppressive systems any longer.  

Instead, we will stand with Jesus and advocate on behalf of those who society is telling us are less than and unworthy.