COMMONWEALTH

It has been far too long since I last wrote on COMMONWEALTH. Today seems like a good day to return and reflect.

I have often quoted the brilliant 20th-century philosopher Ferris Bueller when he said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I have shared this with friends, with my children, in sermons, and I have repeated it to myself countless times in the mirror. It is a needed reminder—even from a fictional character—that we must carpe diem.

Throughout history, humanity has often imagined that we could chart a perfect course for our lives, our societies, and our world. Yet, time and again, circumstances shift in ways we cannot control. Frustration, injustice, and suffering arise unexpectedly, revealing the hidden decay, selfishness, and sin that exist both within ourselves and within society.

Life moves fast—even when it seems to move slowly. There are seasons that invite joy and rest, and there are seasons that demand lament. Lament is necessary because it forces us to confront what we have ignored, hidden, or avoided. Beneath the surface of our routines and comforts, rot and decay often lie waiting for our attention. God has a way of calling us to face it, whether in our personal lives, in our communities, or in the world at large.

There are many forces in the world—selfishness, pride, injustice, and violence—that continually challenge us to love and live rightly. Humanity repeatedly struggles to act justly and to honor life, often prioritizing our own comfort and advantage over the needs of others. We rationalize suffering, turn away from injustice, or claim ignorance to avoid responsibility.

This cannot be who we are called to be. This cannot be the way of life God calls us to. Have we truly become indifferent, callous, or self-absorbed? Are we more concerned with asserting our rights than with doing what is right?

As followers of Christ, we are called to respond to these realities with lament. Lament helps us confront truth, see clearly where we have failed, and recognize our shared responsibility for the brokenness around us. In lament, there is no finger-pointing; instead, we acknowledge that each of us has a part to bear. Our selfishness, pride, and inaction contribute to suffering, injustice, and decay in the world.

Lament invites grief, repentance, and renewal—it opens the door to life as a new creation. In lament, we confess our failures, seek forgiveness, and begin again. We stop ignoring the pain and suffering endured by our fellow human beings, caused by sin, injustice, and indifference. In lament, we see where we have gone off course and discover the way forward. In lament, we receive God’s grace and mercy, and in turn, become bearers of that grace and mercy to others.

Through lament, we affirm the value of life and commit to truly defending it. Through lament, we embrace humility, repentance, and love for our neighbors. Through lament, we join together as a community committed to justice, mercy, and faithfulness, becoming a living witness to God’s presence in the world.

May we pause to look around. May we live not as fatalists who think change is impossible, but as Incarnational Christians, understanding that God’s way, truth, and life are revealed in Jesus. May we live in His presence and become His presence to the world, faithfully and humbly, as the commonwealth of God.