I SPY...

In the wake of the news exposing more of the scope of intelligence gathering by the government of the USA, I have been reflecting on how to feel and respond to this news. Part of me has in mind a caricature like the one to the right, the classic gumshoe lurking in the shadows, surreptitiously logging all your comings and goings, putting in a phone tap, and taking less-than-flattering photos. When thought of this way, I have to laugh, because the poor schmuck who would be assigned to watch me would be doing penance for something, for I hope that someone would have much more productive things to do with their life than keeping tabs on me all day.

On the other hand, this news has me thinking about what would someone find if they kept track of our every move? As a citizen of the USA, I am not surprised at the news, even as I am offended at the violations of my privacy. However, as a Christian, I remember that God is always with me, and God is more aware than any government lackey of what I am doing at any given moment. Don't get me wrong - I don't think God is watching us like the guy pictured above. Indeed, I believe God is not watching us as much as God is walking with us, earnestly hoping that we will lean on the divine presence in our lives to engage in proper behavior.

Another question that this raises for me concerns the role of the community of faith, the church, in our lives. While some may believe that the government should not have the level of access to our records and behaviors, should we be so guarded with our fellow travelers along the journey? Having just celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, having just celebrated the forming of the church on that great day, maybe we ought to be asking ourselves if we are willing to share with our brothers and sisters of the faith the details of our lives?

After all, we are called to support and encourage one another. We are called to hold one another accountable in the spirit of grace and love, spurring one another to good deeds that bring glory to God and others to know the glorious loving forgiveness offered to us through the love of God shown to us in Christ and sustained in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

No matter your opinion on the news of the day, I pray we all had better ask ourselves the following question:

What if someone watched my every move, read every email, listened to every phone call, and audited every financial transaction? What would they find? Would they find a life lived in gratitude to God for the grace that allows us to live, much less have what we have? Would they find a life that points to the love of God? Would they find a pattern that is about bringing the good news of Christ's love to any and all in our lives?

Grace and Peace, Lamar