3 Things Christians Can Do When Sri Lanka is in Pain
Ask anyone in the street what’s wrong with our country and you’ll get a litany of woes – the economy, our children’s education, race relations and our standing in the international arena.
It does seem that anything that could go wrong in the country, has gone wrong. The never ending fuel and gas queues, the hours long power cuts, dollar and food shortage, small business closures and the growing anger of people are so very real. The political intrigues we read on social media keep growing and are partly the means by which people are updated with the current crisis. All these are having a real impact on our everyday lives.
An important role to play
Many young people and not so young are now flooding the office of immigration to renew or sign up for new passports in their quest for a better life overseas.. These plus those who have migrated means a growing brain drain for the country.
Decisions to leave make a huge impact on the Sri Lankan Church. From a pastoral perspective, more efforts have to be made for elderly care in our churches. From a leadership viewpoint, there will be succession issues with less capable men and women to pass the baton to.
Sri Lanka is in trouble and the government is the most obvious target for caustic comments, criticism and outright condemnation. Nevertheless, I’m going to make an optimistic and seemingly naïve comment, to say that we Christians have a unique role to play in the present national crisis.
Here’s what we can do:
- Pray and fast for those in authority. In 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Paul instructs Timothy to pray for kings and all those in authority. It’s so that all may live peaceful and quiet lives in godliness and holiness. Immediately following in verses 5-6, Paul proclaims Christ as the mediator between God and mankind. Praying for the nation’s welfare and proclaiming the Gospel, therefore, go hand in hand for all believers to practice.
- Play our part in nation building. In public life, we need younger people to take an active roles in politics. This will help in nation-building.
- Perform acts of mercy. There are many Christians who are quietly serving in civil society and non-government organisations, from feeding the poor to housing the destitute, caring for the environment and seeking justice for migrant communities, the marginalised and the disadvantaged. These people deserve our salute and admiration, and are worthy to be emulated.
>>READ: How should Christians respond to the government? (Discovery Series)
At the end of the day, we are all Sri Lankans. While we are citizens of another kingdom (Philippians 3:20), we still love Sri Lanka and this is home for us. And though some of us may struggle with how we are valued, yet in obedience to Scripture, let us continue to pray and participate in the life of this nation.
