Thank you God that we live in a country where we can worship you in peace. Those are words that many utter in America on Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings, and so on. America, land of the free and home of the brave. We take pride in what our country stands for – the hard work and determination that it took to make it.
Last Wednesday, we were reminded (or confronted) with the reality that for all of the great stories about our country, there are still many stories that are filled with regret. The great nation we live in today is still plagued with the same problems it has faced since its conception. Racism is still real. It is still alive.
Let us become aware. Let us get our heads out of the sand. Let us examine our own hearts.
Racism is still real and it rears its ugly face in the form of, not only violence (like the murder of 9 black church-goers), but also in subtle conversation. Words like those people, that’s how they are, us and them, all stem from one source – racism. And racism stems from one source – Satan himself.
The Faith of a Few
When that young man came into their Bible study, they welcomed him.
When that young man stayed in their Bible study for over an hour, they enjoyed him.
When that young man opened fire, they encountered the hate in his heart. A hate that came from somewhere.
If we take enough time to trace it back to its root, the root would be Satan himself.
On the contrary…
The families of the 9 victims who were killed in the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC, have shown great faith, great love, and great character. They have looked Dylann Roof in the eye and have forgiven him of what he has done. They have showed him amazing grace. They have shown what it truly looks like to live out this: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).
Racism is evil.
Its evil when it results in murder.
Its evil when it results in subtle comments referencing others who are different as those people.
Its evil when it results in avoidance.
Its evil at all times.
Inspiration for All
This quote can be found on the Emanuel AME Church’s website:
“Jesus died a passionate death for us, so our love for Him should be as passionate.” – Sister Jean German Ortiz
Its safe to say that the world is seeing the result of a faith like that.
When everything around the victims of this act of hatred tells them that it is perfectly fine for their response to be hatred, love is offered, blessing is offered.
Their hearts were transformed before Wednesday night.
They had been given something brand new. A new life. A new heart. A new Spirit. A new way to live. A new hope.
This is the key in being able to look a murderer in the eye, a young man who had taken the lives of family and friends, and say, we enjoyed you, we forgive you, may God have mercy on you.
If a group of people who have stared racism in the eye can respond with love, what is our excuse?
This is just a hunch (but a good one at that), in order to love like that, you have to have a transformed heart. It’s not possible without it. [shareable]If a group of people who have stared racism in the eye can respond with love, what is our excuse?[/shareable]
What Now?
Racism is real. We can’t continue to hide from it.[shareable]Racism is real. We can’t continue to hide from it.[/shareable]
Yes, I know. You aren’t racist. You have never done something out of hate for someone who isn’t like you. Racism isn’t your fault, right?
This is the problem: racism exists in all kinds of forms. It take residence in the heart and it rears its ugly face in various ways.
You may have not committed some act of hatred against another person of a different race, but you may have made racist comments before. You may have made things an us vs them kind of thing. You may have found yourself throwing people into your ridiculously construed prejudiced stereotypes.
We must examine our hearts and ask God to purge every impurity.
I don’t have some grand solution to systemic racism. I wish I did.
But what I do have is this: in every moment, in every way, let love take over your life – your heart, your actions, your thoughts, your everything. [shareable text=”In every moment, in every way, let love take over your life.”]In every moment, in every way, let love take over your life – your heart, your actions, your thoughts, your everything.[/shareable]
Love is proactive. It does to others as you wish they would do for you.
It doesn’t avoid, it pursues.
It doesn’t ignore, it confronts.
It doesn’t stay silent, it speaks out.
It doesn’t let things stay the same, it improves all things.
Jesus died a passionate death for us, so our love for Him should be as passionate. – Sister Jean German Ortiz
Let us follow in the foot steps of the amazing people from Emanuel AME Church, for they are following in the foot steps of Jesus.
