I’m just one voice in one corner. Some may say my voice is too quiet, not qualified, too privileged, not loud enough. There will always be people who will judge my voice, or the voice of others, and find them greatly lacking. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Or, “You have no right to speak.” The fear of those responses can tempt me to be quiet at times. I can worry about saying what some might think is the wrong thing and stay silent. But, when I look to Jesus and I am most concerned about what He thinks about how I respond as a part of His body, that’s when I begin to find my voice.
As my Lord, I am accountable to Him. When I lean into Him, He breaks my heart for what breaks His. He has called us through His Word, to love one another (John 15:12), to help carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and to be his light (Matthew 5:15-16) to a world where fear and hatred is spreading. I desire to do that in my everyday life, not just for view of others on Facebook, but this is one place the world watches for followers of Jesus to reflect Him and not be hypocritical or silent. So from my corner, for Jesus, for the love of my brothers created in the image of God with nothing to do about the color of skin and everything to do with the dignity of our shared humanity given us by God the Father who loves us, I believe the murder of George Floyd was a sin against God. We are under attack from an enemy inciting a war. Arrows are aimed in many directions against brothers whom God himself created in His image whatever color their skin may be. Our battle is not with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). It is heartbreaking to consider any line of thought that allows men to shoot someone in broad daylight during a jog, or to put their knee on a man’s neck draining his life from him or any other reckless taking of life that comes from some sense of either entitlement or victimization.
We have a higher calling of justice. We are accountable to a greater law of love. We must be about protecting life which Jesus died to save regardless of race which God delighted in creating, regardless of our perception of their righteousness or lack thereof, or whether they are peaceful in their pain or acting out in it. We cannot be on sides characterized by the color of our skin when we are under His covering. There is one side: God’s, the Creator of all of heaven and earth. We have the responsibility to respond as He directs and not act in response to those around us trying to direct us according to an earthly agenda.
But, we must respond. Not by adding fuel to a fire, and pointing out how we think everyone is responding either correctly or incorrectly, but by covering the fire in prayer and in action even from our own corners. Instead of looking at black or white, right or left, look up. Look past sin to the need of a man’s heart. Look at your own heart ... is it growing in love, peace, forgiveness, and empowerment to be the change? Or is it growing in fear, rage and self-righteousness to demand that others change? Who’s voice are you listening to? What are you feeding your soul? George Floyd was my brother under God. I pray for justice for him and I even pray for mercy for the man who took his life. I’m in awe of our God who gives both. I pray the Church will fan the fire of reconciliation which Jesus has already accomplished for us.
No man’s dignity will be raised when another man’s dignity is lowered. Our dignity is God-given not earned or assigned by man. Jesus died for our unity. I don’t know what others have suffered and I will not be condescending to their pain by trying to act as if I do. But, I do know Christ died for and loves all of us and there is no distinction in His eyes. If I follow him, I will naturally fight for my brothers because He fought for us all. I am saying, first to myself even as I hit send on this, to rise up and be the light God has given us where he has put us. Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). I don't know what all needs to be done, but I believe we can start there.
David’s confession and plea for mercy and forgiveness in Psalm 51 has repeatedly come to mind these past several days. David had Uriah murdered to cover up his own adultery with Uriah’s wife. Uriah was innocent, and David killed him. God was as just then as He is now. David suffered consequences of his great sin, and God was merciful and gave forgiveness in David’s true repentance. It is a forgiveness only possible through God himself when such great injustice has happened. We have a choice to either keep lighting the fires of injustice, constantly pointing it out but not necessarily participating as an agent of change, or bring the rain of mercy through the Love of Jesus Christ to the world that is burning around us.
We do that practically even today when we post things on social media- are we pouring gas or are we dousing flames? Are we pleading for unity or widening the divide? We do that practically even today when we go to the store, interact with our neighbors, with our families and coworkers. I’m not saying fall back and just let injustice continue for the sake of peace. There is no peace when we let injustice continue. We have to speak up. But, we have to speak up from the starting point of Christ because nothing else unites us like He does. I will not apologize for the race God put me in or for the races He put others in as I believe that He intended to be glorified in all of them. He has great and glorious plans in creating us and none of us had anything to do with our own creation, nor did we begin the divide that separates us now. But, are we working to heal it or start another battle? I will grieve and repent of my sin and my failures to honor Him in my relationships with others, and I will stand against the enemy who continually rages against us to separate us, especially within the Church. Click here to read David's Prayer in Psalm 51
I woke up this morning to a prayer sent to me overnight by my sister in Africa. She messaged, "My dear sister let me pray for you. God kept giving me the burden." I want to share her voice and part of her prayer with you this morning. She and I roomed together several times as we served together in her country. I would wake up each morning between 3 and 4 AM to this voice speaking her prayers out loud for the people and the day ahead of us. This is the love and unity that relationship through Jesus Christ gives us. It has nothing to do with me or her, where we were born, or the color of our skin... our love for one another has everything to do with Him in us. He grows our love for one another. He unites us "across oceans," across state lines, across injustice. Lord, unite us into one family even today, as we demonstrate your love in our corners across the world, "because of the blood of Christ, we are one family."
