Which Bathroom Do I Use?

CHAOS.

There is a lot of chaos in our world today.  This chaos is seen through all the transgender rights issues hitting the headlines and sprouting up on our social media.  North Carolina passes a law about what bathroom to use, Target issues a statement about bathroom use, the Eau Claire School Board District added “gender identity, or gender expression” clause to their nondiscriminatory policy, which will lead to policies regarding bathroom use.  The fact that gender dysphoria exists is a result of chaos in the world.  Chaos isn’t just the top story or the latest viral news.  Chaos can be an individual suffering depression.  Chaos can be a husband and wife who can’t stop fighting and on the brink of divorce.  Chaos can be the young woman suffering from addiction.  Chaos can be an elderly man going to yet another chemotherapy treatment.  

The creation account is an account of chaos into order.  The earth was formless and void and God gave order to the world through creation and put limits to the sky and sea.  God’s creative power demonstrated his ability to bring chaos into order.  Yet in Genesis 3, the personification of chaos, Satan, would introduce chaos once again into the garden, into the lives of Adam and Eve, and thus into the world.  

Every disease.  Every act of violence.  Every mental disorder.  Every addiction.  Every selfish act.  All of these stem from the broken world descending into chaos due to sin.  As Christians, how are we to respond to chaos?  

COMPASSION.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Matthew 9:36

Jesus constantly came face to face with chaos.  The lame, the sick, and the demon possessed all came to see Jesus.  And the very people that the religious elite of his day would turn their nose up to, Jesus saw them with compassion.  Jesus recognizes that they too need to hear the good news of the kingdom of God and gives a call to his disciples.  

CALL.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Matthew 9:37-38

Jesus realizes that all the chaos he sees in the world is really an awaiting harvest.  People in chaos seek order.  We are called to respond to the chaos in the world and in people’s lives with compassion.  We are called to minister, as Jesus did, to people’s immediate needs and teach the good news of the kingdom of God.  

Whenever we hear about all the chaos and confusion in the world we can become overwhelmed.  How can we help bring clarity to the confusion?  How can we help bring order to all the chaos?  How can we answer the call to be compassionate?  It all begins with one.  

Jesus saw the crowds and responded with compassion noting that they are “like sheep without a shepherd.”  There are many lost sheep but you can make a difference for the kingdom of God with one.  

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

Luke 15:4

We can choose to get distracted by all the chaos in the world or we could focus on Christ’s call to respond in compassion to the one lost sheep in our field.  Who is your one?  Who can you help in your life, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, to find a bit of order in their chaos?