A few weeks ago, I was privileged to be one of four preachers to speak at the Disciples of Christ National Convocation. “A Call to Action” was the theme, with 2 Samuel 10:12, as one of the thematic texts — Be strong, and let us be courageous for the sake of our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” NRSV
I share with you what I shared with them, in hopes the call will be fully answered.
A call to action is more than a request to make moves. It’s a summons to battle, a demand for confrontation. But the question is who really wants to go to war? Who really wants to risk life and livelihood? Who really wants to give up comfortable predictability for inconvenient indifferences of the unknown?
However, in order to win, we have to be willing to give up comfort … and control. Wars aren’t won by front lines full of generals and sergeants. There must be soldiers. There must be those willing to submit to an authority greater than theirs for the sake of victory.
There’s a unified effort in verse 12, with the foremost requirement — to be strong and courageous. This was the pep talk before battle, the mental reminder that the Israelites had what it took to go, fight, and if the Lord saw fit, to win as they fought for the people and cities of God.
Do we as church and community fight for our people, our cities and our God? Do we stand for widows and orphans? Our youth? Elders? Single parents and guardians? Will we fight from pulpit and pew for our brothers and sisters of other nationalities? Will we speak about it only or will we be about it?
Even still, there’s always another level of action to engage. In verses 13-17, the Israelites didn’t stop at the gate of the city, they went into the city. After they conquered the city, they went beyond the city and crossed the Jordan.
Our call to action is beyond the surface of our block, churches, comfy offices, etc. It goes further. Higher. Wider.
It goes into reasons why:
Single parents and guardians leave children home in order to work
Black boys and men are being slain
Latinx children were caged and kept from loved ones
Real church hurt was a social media hashtag but isn’t taken seriously
Suicide is on the rise
LGBTQ sisters and brothers are ostracized
Women in leadership are still given a hard time and have to prove ourselves
Who is willing to dig deep? To go on the front line? To ask hard questions and hear even harder answers?
Is it you? Will you answer the call? Give up comfort and control? Adhere to authority that isn’t yours? Lend a hand to hold, an ear to listen? Open your doors and your pocketbook as my granny said? Extend grace to those who seem to be wildin’ out and love to those who are holistically battered?
Before the Israelites went to war, I believe Joab started with a call and response question — Be strong and courageous? They replied yes! He repeated it from a place of confirmation — BE STRONG and COURAGEOUS! In response, they yelled their battle cry. And in that moment, God knew they would prevail.
They made up their minds by way of the strong, courageous affirmation from their mouths that they would answer the call and take full, complete action. They wouldn’t retreat because too much was at stake. That’s when God knew who God was working with. That’s when God knew the right people had been chosen for this battle.
Does God know you’re the right one to answer the call to action
Contact Rev. Rae Karim at rkarim@cts.edu Christian Theological Seminary.
