"The Cries of the Harvesters"

Recently I was in a group studying chapter five of the book of James. The heading of the chapter is, "Warning to Rich Oppressors". Among other things James says;

You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

I explained that James was speaking to a culture and community where the lines of accountability were fairly direct. The readers in that day probably had a pretty good idea of who James was referring to. My question for the group, and a question that haunts me is, "How do we know who the rich oppressors are today?" The lines of accountability between us and the harvesters and workers and innocent ones are elusive and remote. How do I know that my purchases are not contributing to injustice in the lives of people half way around the world or even in my own community? How do I know that my retirement plan isn't contributing to famine in a distant corner of the globe? How do I know that I am not a rich oppressor?

Part of this journey for me is finding a good answer to that question, drawing up lines of accountability where there have been none, and finding new practices that not only do no evil, but bring blessings and peace to people's lives.

Comments

[Keith]

Currently, and for the past two years, we haven't set aside anything for retirement. I blogged about it earlier today.

I don't know what to do. For whatever reason, I feel responsible. For so many reasons, I hope to be part bringing peace.

I'm not sure, I know taking responsibility will cause some self-induced hardship, but I think a sustainable solution will be beautiful.

I think we are individually experimenting with new ways, and perhaps old, of living.
Collectively, we are learning. We are past dialogue. What is it? Praxis?

I have been thinking about your one-car situation. If this is too frustrating, I certainly hope that you get two cars, perhaps three; your work is too important to be bogged down in the triviality of catching a ride.

[Auntie Lynn]

I couldn't help but tear-up when I read your post, Craig. Please know that just your post alone will make yourself and others more aware of injustices in peoples' lives around the world. It starts with the knowledge that there is a problem, and then, in an exponential way, the problem comes to the fore of others. This is how it worked in my experience as a first-grade teacher: It began with a quote from African environmentalist, Baba Dioum, I read. He said, "For in the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught." For me, his words translated into the creation of a giant unit on the Amazon rainforest. My six and seven year-old students learned about deforestation and its effects on native animals, on plants that provide us with natural medicines, on the cleanliness of the air we breath, and on the native people economically caught in the middle. For homework, each student chose their favorite rainforest animal on which to report. The classroom became a rainforest filled with vines and 3-dimentional animals stuffed with newspaper (which were also used as scenery for a rainforest play we presented to the school's 650 studetns during the day, and a night performance for students'family and friends). Not only did this unit include reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and visual and performing arts, it affected the children on a deeper level - they became more sensitive to human needs and social problems. So it all started with my understanding that there was a problem affecting our planet; which I passed on to my students; which they passed on to the whole school's population, their parents and other family members; which they passed on to...