It’s been over 8 weeks now since protesters descended upon Wall Street to tangibly express their frustration. 8 weeks! That is 8 weeks of living in tents and among strangers in public parks. Initially in New York City and now spreading out to other metropolitan areas, it is clear that the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protestors are continuing to gain momentum and news coverage.
What is not as clear is why they are “occupying” these parks. I should say it is not clear in an coherent, organized, precise direction.
On the other hand, their objective seems to strike a consistent tone.
If you listen to people who are participating in the OWS protests you hear them talk of their desire for a better society, fairness, reasonable government and equal care for all people. They talk about exposing and ending corruption and making a better way. Granted some of these descriptions are fairly subjective and elastic, but, it sounds good though, right?
Now before you write me off, let me just say that I am not ready to pack a tent and move to a local park to lock arms with the protestors. I don’t think it’s the way or the means to bring the type of change I want.
But I can listen and read enough of the comments to catch a downwind whiff of what they are really after. And I can relate.
What they really want is a good kingdom with a good king. Of course they probably would not express it in these terms, but it is true. There is a simmering discontentment with the state of things and a desire to bring about the change. Hence the protests.
As Christians we can recognize the groanings of creation under the curse of sin. Even unbelievers, as image bearers, show signs of craving Eden or leaning ahead towards Zion.
When we read the Bible we are reminded that not only is Christ the prescribed answer to this sin-cursed world but he is the best answer.
Jesus is the compassionate, fair, loving, just, good and powerful King that is and does right. He does not take advantage of the weak and he does not curry favor from the strong. He is neither corrupt nor corruptible. His love for justice is married to his love for goodness. His care for people is steered by the right hand of power and the left hand of love. The liberty he brings is unmatched. He does not merely deliver from financial, political, or social burdens, but he delivers from sin, Satan and death. He rescues people from their greatest fear (death), destroys their greatest enemy (Satan), and provides for their greatest need (atonement for sin). He is the good and powerful monarch who is unrivaled in both areas; he can never lose and he can never look up to another. In short, he is unrivaled in his awesomeness.
By no means am I saying that the OWS leaders are pursuing and proclaiming Christ and his kingdom. But what I am saying is that what they are in general terms grasping for, through the haze of confusion and various manifestations of sin, is redemption. They want salvation and an unshakable kingdom.
The only way this truly comes is by the one who came and tabernacled among men (John 1.12). Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, came and lived among men to rescue sinners from sin, Satan, and death. He came to bring people to God by virtue of his death on the cross (1 Peter 3.18).
And now as Christians we live under the government of this great King. We proclaim his goodness, justice, power, and love. We proclaim the gospel, the goodness of Christ the King.
When the world around is crying out in various forms of hunger and hurt, we as Christians must recognize the cause and answer. The gospel completes every narrative, even this strange protest before us.