Go to bat for the helpless

The prophet Isaiah speaks wonderfully, peacefully about what was to come in his later writings. But at the beginning of his prophecy, he speaks for an angry God:

1:10"Listen to my Message,
you Sodom-schooled leaders.
Receive God's revelation,
you Gomorrah-schooled people.
"Why this frenzy of sacrifices?"
God's asking.
"Don't you think I've had my fill of burnt sacrifices,
rams and plump grain-fed calves?
Don't you think I've had my fill
of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats?
When you come before me,
whoever gave you the idea of acting like this,
Running here and there, doing this and that—
all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?
Quit your worship charades.
I can't stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—
meetings, meetings, meetings—I can't stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You've worn me out!
I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion,
while you go right on sinning.
When you put on your next prayer-performance,
I'll be looking the other way.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I'll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you've been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evil doings
so I don't have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless."

I believe it's clear that God is saying he doesn't care for our useless attempts at religion when the world is in such a mess. When people are without, when the homeless are indeed homeless, when things are so bad out there, God doesn't want to hear we just got out of church. Say no to wrong, he says. Learn to do good, he says. Work for justice, he says. Help the down-and-out he says. Stand up, go to bat, just do something, he says.

This coming year, 2011, let's pledge (along with reading That's Life) to do something for someone else. No matter your station in life, no matter how things are in your life, there are those who have less. Share with them. Make it a policy.

Our giving, financially, went down this year as our paychecks spiralled downward. But our giving of time and effort went up. Anyone can do that. Anyone.

God calls us to get rid of the religion and start sharing. We can do this. We don't need a government assist to help others.