The past two days I've felt alternately angry, sad, and helpless in the face of hateful, racist, violent words and demonstrations. I know that the rally in Virginia isn't an isolated event, just a large and high profile one. It's a heartbreaking reminder that there are people who, for whatever reason, have let hate and anger and fear take root in their hearts. Who don't believe that we are all created in God's image, and that our differences are what make our world interesting. It's a reminder that people all over the world believe the answer to their problems is the existence of someone else -- someone "other" -- in the same space. We see this conflict played out time and time again, but it gets no less devastating. So here's my list for today, the things I'm reminding myself...
1. Pray. Pray like I BELIEVE it. Pray that people's hearts would change in the way that only Jesus can change them. Pray for Christians to be bold, compassionate, loving, and humble.
2. Pay attention. Pay attention to any opportunity I have to be a light in this dark, dark world. Maybe that's reaching out to a neighbor, giving time or money to organizations already fighting the good fight, teaching my children one day at a time to be loving and respectful of all people, or speaking out if I hear someone saying things that are hateful.
3. Follow Jesus to the best of my ability, in the circumstances I find myself in. The reality is that I will do more good occupying my own space well than in fretting over what I can't do at this moment. Am I loving my neighbors well? Do I see an opportunity to bless a friend struggling with grief, to take a meal to a sick neighbor, to be kind and friendly to that kind of weird person at church who is feeling lonely and outcast?
I think I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the fact that I don't know what it's like to have such hatred focused at me, and because of this words often fail me. I don't want to spout platitudes or be condescending in an effort to mean well, but what I will say is that I am sorry, I am angry, I hurt for you, and I can't imagine how you're feeling. I hope I can live my life in a way that is the opposite of hate.
"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the worlds' goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." I John 3:16-18
"Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, 'With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?' Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,' says the Lord; 'I will place him in the safety for which he longs.' The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on teh ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl as vileness is exalted among the children of man." Psalm 12
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ReplyDeletePost well done. Thank you for writing on this topic. As a Christian, it is difficult for me to balance my thoughts on these events as I do believe in the very American right to peaceful assembly and to expressed opinions with which I strongly disagree, yet I am as certain as I can be that a Christian must condemn prejudices: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galations 3:28 Your solution is wise, and I believe it's what God would want. We must show his love and light where we are because that's often all we can do.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this was a rough weekend. Remembering our history, acknowledging our history is different than celebrating our history. We need to remember that as we stare on those statues.
ReplyDeleteStep out and be uncomfortable. Sitting behind our computer screen protects us. We have to get outside and speak out loud as much as we possibly can. We have to be stronger.
In regard to monument removals, a friend of mine made the suggestion of removing monuments and putting them in museums. History is preserved without exhaulting racist attitudes and viewpoints. It was an interesting compromise I thought.
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