| Since Hurricane Katrina, people have been talking | | | | have them do to you" (Matt. 7:12); it does not |
| a lot about accountability, or if the finger is | | | | say, "Whatever you don't want someone to do |
| pointing toward you rather than away, about | | | | to you, don't do it to them." Christ wants us to |
| blame. Some have said that we are witnessing | | | | be proactive, rather than passive, and helping, not |
| standard bureaucratic incompetence--lack of | | | | just avoiding hurting. |
| foresight, under-planning, poor coordination of | | | | But another principle seems pertinent to Katrina. |
| efforts, misspent funds, and so on. | | | | Christ says, "Whoever can be trusted with very |
| Others question whether the response to Katrina | | | | little can also be trusted with much, and whoever |
| would have been much different--faster, more | | | | is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest |
| efficient, more urgent--if her victims had been the | | | | with much" (Luke 16:10). This begs a host of |
| very rich rather than the very poor. Even more | | | | applications. Jesus is suggesting that we take a |
| troubling is the question of what role racism | | | | look at how people exercise their responsibility in |
| played and is playing in the disaster relief. | | | | the humdrum, lazy days of late July. That will |
| Few solid answers seem obvious to all of these | | | | serve as a reliable indicator of how they will act |
| questions and "what if's," but perhaps it would be | | | | on the last day of August, that horrific day of the |
| helpful to examine some principles about | | | | hurricane, and the terrible September days that |
| accountability from the teachings of Him before | | | | follow. |
| Whom we all will stand one day to give account | | | | The same holds true with regard to race. How do |
| (2 Cor. 5:10). | | | | we treat each other when no one is paying much |
| In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matt. | | | | attention? Do we communicate appreciation and |
| 25:31-46), Jesus Christ compares the coming | | | | respect to people whose skin has more or has |
| judgment of the world to a shepherd's dividing his | | | | less pigment than ours? We will probably go on |
| sheep from his goats. The righteous, represented | | | | treating them in the same way when lives are at |
| by the sheep, receive the Shepherd's praise for | | | | stake. "Faithful in little, faithful in much." |
| feeding Him when He was hungry, giving Him | | | | Do we find resentment and anxiety nagging at |
| water to quench His thirst, clothing His nakedness, | | | | our consciousness as we see that person of a |
| and ministering to Him both when He was sick | | | | different race when the skies are cloudless and |
| and when He was in prison. In their bewilderment | | | | the birds merrily sing? Then why are we surprised |
| at this judgment, they ask what incidents He is | | | | when hatred and terror squeeze our hearts at |
| recalling, for they do not remember helping Him in | | | | the sight of them on the day when the sky turns |
| any of these ways. He explains, "The truth is, | | | | dark and the winds begin to rage around us. |
| whatever you did for one of the least of these | | | | "Unfaithful in little, unfaithful in much." |
| brothers of Mine, you did for Me." | | | | Everyone will agree that Katrina created an |
| Then He turns to the "goats," and directs them to | | | | immediate crisis, followed by a series of additional |
| the eternal fire for not feeding Him, or giving Him | | | | crises that may stretch out into the future |
| a drink, for not clothing Him, or nursing Him back | | | | months. The Greek word from which 'crisis' is |
| to health, or seeing to His needs in prison. They | | | | derived means "judgment, decision." |
| likewise are amazed that He would say this, for | | | | Katrina brought hundreds, perhaps thousands, to |
| they can't recall ever failing to meet any of His | | | | judgment, and she has forced the survivors, |
| needs. "This is the truth," He replies, "whatever | | | | including all of us horrified witnesses, to decision |
| you didn't do for one of the least of these, you | | | | crossroads. |
| didn't do for Me." The parable concludes, "Then | | | | She has, is, and will force us to reflect on our |
| they will go away to eternal punishment, but the | | | | values. Do we care that some of "the least of |
| righteous to eternal life." | | | | these" have lost everything--jobs, possessions, |
| Do you find this parable surprising? Those headed | | | | homes, and even loved ones? Do we value their |
| for hell have not embezzled, or raped, or | | | | wellbeing above our own convenience? Are we |
| murdered, or even lied. Can you hear the goats | | | | willing to give for their benefit, or even to sacrifice |
| complaining as they are driven into the fire, "What | | | | for them? |
| did I do? I didn't do anything that bad. Nothing to | | | | Katrina is all about accountability. And the |
| deserve this!" | | | | accountability is not just for the mayor of New |
| They are punished, not for what they did wrong, | | | | Orleans, or the governor of Louisiana, or the head |
| but for what they failed to do right. The Golden | | | | of FEMA, or the president of the United States. It |
| Rule, after all, states, "Do to others as you would | | | | is an accountability that applies to all of us. |