The word of God is about prophecy - people ready to tell the news of God's love for all even when it's difficult or dangerous to do so. It can be saying the uncomfortable truth about how people mistreat each other, especially the weak and the poor.
There are prophets of times long ago.
How many examples can you find in the following references?:
Amos 2.6; 3.10; 4.1; 5.11; 8.4-6.
Do you think something of this type of behaviour still happens today?
Amos 8.7-14 has the message that people who do wrong will not escape God's punishment.
Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel at a dark time in their history when many of them were exiled - forced to live in another country.
Isaiah 9.2-7 is one of the great passages telling about the hope of those who are faithful to God; that their suffering would not last forever and that they could look forward to a time when God's creation would be as He intended.
Jesus encouraged those who suffered in his time by explaining that living our lives as God wants us to is not always popular and promising that those who do will be blessed by God.
This teaching can be found in Matthew 5.1-12.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Martin Luther King
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The movement to cancel international debt
Jesus used a lovely illustration of good living being like a light. See Matthew 5.14-15. How could you illustrate this?
There are many people who have tried to follow this example in the past. You can find out how some have been influenced by their Christian faith in their lives by looking at the following sites:
Lord Shaftesbury lived in the 19th century and worked to improve living and working conditions for some of the poorest people in this country:
William Wilberforce lived at about the same time and worked to abolish slavery.
Being prepared to speak and take action against wrong can be dangerous; it has cost some people their lives:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer lived in Germany during the 1930s.
Bonhoeffer's Life
Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945
Martin Luther King Jr lived in the United States of America, campaigning for the rights of black people, and was killed just over 30 years ago.
Martin Luther King Jr.
The History Channel
(use the Search facility to find out more about Martin Luther King Jr., and to listen to recordings of some of his speeches)
In 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero was killed in a church in El Salvador, Central America, while leading people in worship.
Archbishop Oscar Romero Martyr of El Salvador
Profile of Archbishop Oscar Romero
Still alive and famous for his readiness to speak the truth in South Africa is Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Desmond Tutu
Online NewsHour: Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Perhaps less well known is Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma. She has also been ready to campaign for truth and justice at great cost and has inspired thousands of people by her bravery:
Free Burma Coalition
And sometimes the campaign or struggle is based on an issue. It may involve many people rather than be focussed on one person. As we approach the end of the year - and the century - it is worth looking at this site:
Jubilee 2000 Coalition
... and there is still the need for prophets.
