Work-Life Balance

Beloveds,

I'm supposed to be attending a conference this morning to bear witness to healthcare workers experience of the atrocities and heartbreak they witnessed in Gaza. I cleared my schedule, but rather than listening to their stories I sit waiting nearby on campus hoping someone will share the location information. The organizers are so concerned about safety and have experienced so many challenges to hosting this that it's been impossible for me to find the full details, allowing me to attend.

Why am I sharing this? I'm sharing it because the university I work at is aiding to perpetuate business as usual - education as business. For some reason one of the best businesses is oppressing others - slavery, prison pipeline, apartheid, military industrial complex, employment, western healthcare, etc.

Chatel slavery made the southern plantations rich enough for the wealth to last generations. Prisoners work against their will for free or pennies on the dollar at companies like McDonald's. Starbucks makes the U.S. and then the world sick with its high calorie sugary drinks while supporting Israeli apartheid. Lawmakers and investors get more rich the more conflicts the U.S. supports, the more places we bomb, and the more countries that house our military. Amazon doesn’t give drivers enough time to take pee breaks, does not offer climate controlled factories, and bitterly attempts to squash unionizing efforts. United Healthcare CEO’s policies denies claims of needed patient care.

It sounds like a lot because, well, it is a lot. I've been talking to God more directly than ever before about it and they aren't silent. Q: = my question to God. R: = God's response.

Jesus taught that we can't serve God and money. No one can serve two masters. The U.S. professes "one nation under God," yet money in the form of capitalism and property ownership are king. We treat organizations designed solely to make money with all the rights of people. This leads to the exploitation of people, which the Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches against.

My Christian faith has evolved. As a seeker, it's had to. The American nationalistic evangelical Christianity that was offered to me serves capitalism and its exploitation of people and nature.

May our lives be committed to the service of others.

May we choose love.

May we serve God, not money.

——-

Questions for Contemplation:

• In what ways are you observing the suffering of others?

• In what ways and circumstances are you tempting to ignore the suffering of others?

• How do you feel called to be counter-cultural?

• How are you choosing love today? This week? This year?

May you always see the blessing, beloveds.

-esb

P.S. - Thanks for being here. I’d love to hear how you’re doing & what you’re learning!

P.P.S. - All the art in these newsletters is mine, unless otherwise specified.

P.P.P.S. - Save the date for the morning of January 11th for the exclusively online 2025 New Year’s Theme Retreat. In-person New Year’s Theme will be pushed to 2026 become I’m practicing LYHLing and acknowledging limits (mark your calendar for January 2026 for that). Email: [email protected] to get on the retreat email list. I rejoice for each person that joins in this transformative and life-giving retreat.