Does God care for the city of Detroit? Should this once thriving and prosperous city be shunned; left as an example of what not to do, abandoned to its own demise?
On July 18, Detroit, at one time the richest per capita city in America, filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. A city that people once migrated to for a better life, just like people migrated to California for gold.
At the height of Detroit’s prosperous years the population consisted of close to 2 million people. Good paying jobs were basically the norm. Over 296,000 manufacturing jobs in the 50’s helped produce a thriving, booming middle class. But today, Detroit is tragically a vastly different story. The population has dropped down to a little over 700,000 people with less than 27,000 manufacturing jobs . A city that once was saturated with booming businesses everywhere now has 78,000 abandoned buildings. About one third of the city is either vacant or derelict. The poverty and unemployment levels are through the roof. One can go on and on about Detroit’s problems and devastating lack, as well as the spiritual and psychological blows that have accumulated over the years. Just like poor populations all over the world, Detroit has many deserted and disenfranchised people, you know, the ones that didn’t have the means to leave when the well ran dry. One can imagine the oppression, the sting of abandonment, the clouds of depression, hopelessness and despair that some of the people must be feeling. Detroit reflects on all of God’s people. Have we become a people that callously says, “you made your bed, now lie in it”? Are the poor living in Detroit aliens from another planet that should be quarantined, or are they imperfect people made in the image and likeness of a Holy God? Does anyone care? Sure, people can list off all the steps of what should of been done–but where’s the love?
1 Corinthians 8 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.(NLV)
1 John 3:17 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won’t help him–how can God’s love be within him ? 18 Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions. 19 Then we will know for sure, by our actions, that we are on God’s side, and our consciences will be clear, even when we stand before the Lord.(NLV)
YES GOD CARES!
Prov. 14:31 Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God. (NLV)
Prov. 21:13 He who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in his own time of need. (NLV)
Prov. 28:27 If you give to the poor, your needs will be supplied! But a curse upon those who close their eyes to poverty.
These scriptures are a bright light in a dark world. God’s heart is in direct conflict with this world’s constant drumbeat of exploiting and condemning the poor while being unconscious of the “taken for granted help” they themselves have received. Everybody, some time or the other, needs a shoulder to lean on.
Check out “Inner City Blue Collars”
By Hakim Hazim and Charles Holmes, Jr.
at: http://michigancitizen.com/inner-city-blue-collars/
Charles Holmes Relevant Now “Timely, Insightful and Transformative Information” http://relevantnow.net/
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