Jeremiah Project |
Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:5-7 |
*In preparation for our coming together, and heading to New Orleans, each participant was asked to reflect on a passage from Jeremiah. As we prepare our hearts and minds for the trip, we will be featuring an excerpt from these reflection each day until we depart. These excerpts are posted with the author’s permission.
An Excerpt from the Reflection on Jeremiah 29:5-7 by R. Moody
We have to stop convincing ourselves that the people in New Orleans are going to be just fine. The passage states how integral the home is and can be seen as an allegory. Housing is entirely necessary and is a base for all of our lives; without it, we can found nothing else. Homes were taken from the innocent citizens of New Orleans through catastrophic event, and without them, they have nothing at all. If they don’t have a home, where will they eat, where will they seek shelter, and how can their families succeed?
I’m fortunate enough to have the security a house, and quite honestly, I take it for granted. And I do believe that a large portion of people are in that same position as I am. It’s almost like we love what our lives have become, and never have the time to show any gratitude for it. I think if I had a firsthand experience in seeing somebody without something that we consider so simple and regular like a home, the reality would be evident. I think I’d be able to see how important housing is, not to just the individual, but to building a community.
