Statues of a homeless Jesus by artist Timothy Schmalz have been appearing across the country inviting debate over homelessness and Jesus. The picture above is in Indianapolis. There is one in Orlando where I live.
Not known for remaining silent on the controversial, I feel the need to ask a simple but important question of this icon. “What if he wakes up?”
If the purpose of the statue is to show Jesus solidarity with the poor, the marginalized, those without shelter, and if he wakes up, how will it fare for the rest of us, those who have more than we need yet never learned how to share in preschool or since, how will it fare for those of us whose day can be ruined because of a lack of cell phone service while the biggest cause of death of children in the world is lack of clean water, how will it fare for us?
Perhaps we should prepare ourselves for the fulfillment of Jesus’ warning in Luke 12:48, From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.
The world Jesus’ encountered clearly was not his dream for God’s creation. His purpose was not nor ever has been to fortify the status quo evident by the next verse, seldom quoted by sleeping images of Jesus or slumbering congregants. Jesus warns those who are listening and hear him, I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
For those whose deals have worked out, for those in places of power, for those who have our goods stored in barns (see earlier in Luke 12), fire is a frightening image. For those who sleep on a park bench wrapped like the figure represented by the statue, fire is warmth, fire is home, fire is hope. It depends on where you sleep at night and whether you are only awake to your need for comfort compared to others need for safety, food, and shelter.
What happens if Jesus wakes up? As I look at his dreams for the world clearly set forth in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) as well as all four gospels, as I look at his dreams for the world compared to my personal goals, as I think how much I have while some die from lack of adequate shelter or clean water, perhaps it’s not Jesus who needs to wake up at all. Perhaps it’s me. Perhaps it’s all of us who claim his name but avoid his way.
Perhaps it is I who sleep. Perhaps he is quite awake, quite active, and quite near, calling all of us from our slumber,
Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.
Ephesians 5:14
Perhaps a fire in our souls could warm the world.
