Michael Jackson was right!

Michael Jackson was right.  It's time to heal the world and make it a better place.  for you and for me and the entire human race!

I have been a religious person my whole life.  I love God.  I love my wife.  I love my kids.  Healing the world?! sure, some times.

I think about Darfur.  I think about earthquakes in Haiti.  I think about floods in Australia.  I think about the high rate of abortion.  I think about the struggle of women in society.  I think Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.  The truth is, I only think about them when they are put in front of me (after all it is Martin Luther King Day).  I think about them when they're on the news.  I think about them when I watch George Clooney on dateline.  I think about them when I run into Scriptures like James 1:27: "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." 


then they fade from thoughts.  This past Shabbat I spoke about Tikkun Olam (literally: The Healing of the World).  The last two weeks have been an introduction to Beit Messiah's new purpose statement (check out the podcasts on iTunes or our Website):  "Our Purpose is to walk in the likeness of Messiah Yeshua (Messianic Halacha) and partner with Adonai in the healing of the world (Tikkun Olam)."

I included Tikkun Olam in our new purpose because I have always been moved to do something for the world around me.  I have prayed about it a lot.  I have been "waiting" for direction from God as to what role I should play.  Then it struck me.  Its all a sham.  I haven't been "waiting" I have been avoiding what I know my responsibility is.  Not just because I am religious.  but because I am a human being.  The Gospel of Yeshua is more than just spiritual salvation.  It is spiritual.  but it is also physical, emotional, and psychological.  Yeshua didn't just offer people salvation.  He offered power and authority to do real things in a real world.  It seems easy to just offer salvation to people and tell them to trust that they will get to Heaven.  But eternity has already started and Yeshua said many times that the Kingdom of God is right here and right now.  I want to be like Him with all of my heart but being like Him means I have to partner with Him in healing the world.


I am making a commitment to engage with what I most care about in 2011.  I love God.  I love my wife.  I love my kids.  And I am going to work hard to love the world around me (and those far from me).  I am making this commitment as an individual, as a husband, as a father and as a Rabbi.  This year I am going to lead people around me to think bigger, to dream bigger, pray bigger and actually DO bigger than we have ever imagined.  because I love God.  because I love my wife.  because I love my kids. because I love my Synagogue (and the people in it :) and if I really do love all of these then I've got to love the world that God has put me in.  More than just spiritually but also working to bring healing to people physically, emotionally, and psychologically.  I want to go for healing the whole person to the best of my ability and if I can't do it I want to find someone who can. 


In Luke 4:16-19, Yeshua introduced Himself as the Messiah (for the whole world) in His hometown of Nazareth He quoted Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of ADONAI is upon me; therefore he has anointed me to announce Good News to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and renewed sight for the blind, to release those who have been crushed, to proclaim a year of the favor of ADONAI.”  I want to be that.  Yeshua said we could be that.  I want to be like Him so 2011 is the year I go for it.


wanna join me? 


(Note: I will be laying out some "Tikkun Olam Initiatives" all year and highlighting organizations doing the work of healing the world.  keep looking out.)


Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!