How many pairs of shoes do you have?

Today in my Pentateuch class, Prof. Fretheim gave a beautiful and impassioned lecture on God's preferential treatment of the poor and needy. He talked about how God sided with the Israelites over the Egyptians when they were enslaved in Egypt. There is so much in the Old Testament about God's command to take care of the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the alien. He wondered if we often overlook all of these commands because it makes us uncomfortable, because we might be surprised to find ourselves on the side of the oppressor rather than the oppressed. One question he asked to help us see this was the question, "How many shoes do you have?".

Well I don't know about you, but I have a LOT of shoes. As I discussed this question with some classmates over lunch I realized, that we all have a LOT of shoes. More shoes than we need. Yet some children walk around barefoot without any shoes, exposing themselves to injury and disease every day. Now I'm not saying it's bad to have shoes, but clearly I am not category of the oppressed in regards to material possessions. And let's be honest, I'm not exactly considered well-to-do by American standards, after all I am a poor Seminary student who is married to a teacher! (Yes I definitely just pulled out the married-to-a-teacher card, which gets major pity points in today's world. :)

If it wasn't enough that the Old Testament is full of God's concern for the poor in the narrative of the exodus people, the Torah and ten commandments, and the cry of the prophets, we also have Jesus to hear from on this issue. I think you know where this is going. It's not getting any better for me and all the people like me with our closets full of shoes and clothing. I've been pondering this a lot as our country is going through a time of economic hardship. It seems the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the students are going so far into debt there's little hope of ever breaking free of the oppressing bondage. And we live in a "Christian" nation? It doesn't seem so.

The message of Jesus is a message of humility and kenosis, (awesome Greek word that means emptying) of cross and resurrection. This kingdom message that Jesus proclaimed shouted the good news that the oppressed would be liberated and the captives set free! The gospel message is for the whole person and the whole of humanity. It has spiritual, material, and economic implications. God, our creator loves us and all of creation. Jesus' message is in line with the message we hear from the God of Israel in the Old Testament - love God and love your neighbor... oh yeah and also the widows, orphans, aliens, and outcasts......