Seeking the Shalom of Boston

"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper...For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29

We are all familiar with some of the challenges of urban life: gentrification; materialism and poverty living next door to each other; public schools in need of repair; systemic racial and justice issues, etc. But we can also vividly see the intrinsic beauty of the city: it was the birthplace for creativity and innovation, it was filled with a mosaic of all of God's different people, and those who lived in the city were incredibly open to new things (including the life and message of Jesus Christ).

In Old Testament times the global cities were often ignored by God's people, because they carried enormous anxiety towards urban life. They feared that their culture and customs would be overpowered, that they would lose their sense of identity, and that their children would be swayed by the powerful current of city life. The prophet Jeremiah relays a message from God. He tells God's people that they are to go to the most powerful global city of its day (Babylon) and give themselves to the needs of that city. They were to start businesses, build homes, and even marry into the culture. The reason God gave this command was not so they could profit from the economy of the city, but to serve the city. God called them to seek the shalom of the city-caring for it in a holistic way: spiritually, economically, and culturally.

Seeking the shalom of Boston would look like people coming into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, where cultures come together in a way that glorifies God, where justice is fought for and oppression is fought against, and where the children of the city could be protected and nurtured.