Things going on in our nation have been weighing on me heavily for some time now. I know they've been weighing on a lot of us. They've been so heavy, in fact, that I became afraid to speak for fear of not even having enough words or the right words to convey my heart. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to really articulate the pain it causes me to see so much hate displayed so casually.
This morning, Pastor @justin_porter talked about Paul in prison, and how he never said "When I get out of this prison, I will start praising God again." He never said "When I get out of this prison..." at all. He actually said "I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ." (Philippians 1:12-13) Paul knew that his mission did not stop just because he was put in prison. His mission remained the same: love. To love others as Christ had loved him, even those that had put him in chains. His chains became his story. His chains were his victory. He wasn't letting anyone rob him of joy. He praised God in prison the same way he praised him as a free man.
That story seemed to awaken something within me that I believe has been stirring for quite some time. This tiny flicker of a flame that started around the time of the election last year has now been lit and is growing like a wildfire. Because the truth is this: it's NOW or NEVER. Just like Paul knew that there was a very real chance he would die in prison, I know that our days here are numbered, and we have no idea when our last one is. I don't know want to be a person known for being silent about things that matter. Yes, it is true, the Bible tells us that there is a time for everything, "a time to be silent and a time to speak," (Ecclesiastes 3:7), but if we do not choose when to speak and what to speak about, the Bible also states that we are fools. "The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues." (Proverbs 17:27-28)
You see, as a kid, I never imagined a world where people were scorned for their skin color. It just was totally and completely outside of my realm. My parents never treated anyone differently because of how they looked. For lack of better words, racism was unfathomable to me. I just truly did not believe that it was possible for someone to hold that kind of hate in their heart. It still does not make sense to me. So, I took the first part of that verse, and I thought... "I don't understand this, God, so maybe I should just keep quiet. Maybe I should just continue to love people the same way I always have." But I read the second part of that verse today and I felt like I got punched in the gut. I can no longer be silent. I have been silent for too long, and for that I am sorry. For that I have gone to the Father for forgiveness. The time to speak is NOW, because whether it's hard to believe or not, the truth is that injustice is happening NOW. I do not stand with division. I do not stand with hatred. I do not stand with white supremacy. I do not stand with violence. Jesus could not make it any more clear to me where he stands. And I stand with Him. Always.
Ephesians 2:14-18 says "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility towards each other was put to death. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us."
The Bible repeatedly states that Christ died for all. There is nothing to argue there.
My heart is breaking for those that have been treated unfairly, who have been given less opportunities, who have had to live in fear of being murdered for the color of their skin. My words could never express the sadness I feel in knowing that there are people who treat you that way or the desire I have to change that, but I know that my silence says far more about it than anything else. As Pastor Justin also mentioned this morning, silence implicates acceptance. And I will not accept this. I will fight for you. I will stand with you. I will not be silent.
My words do not feel like enough, but I know that God hears my cries. I will end with this, which is one of my favorite passages of scripture.
"In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest of all--- the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say, "Come, let is go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob's God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For the Lord's teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spares into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore." Isaiah 2:1-4
The image of worshipping with brothers and sisters in Christ of all different skin colors and all different backgrounds and all different personalities.... it makes my heart swell with joy that is unexplainable and uncontainable. I know that day is coming, so I will hold to that hope. And until then, I will not be silent. I will speak out against hatred. I will speak for love. It's now or never.
This morning, Pastor @justin_porter talked about Paul in prison, and how he never said "When I get out of this prison, I will start praising God again." He never said "When I get out of this prison..." at all. He actually said "I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ." (Philippians 1:12-13) Paul knew that his mission did not stop just because he was put in prison. His mission remained the same: love. To love others as Christ had loved him, even those that had put him in chains. His chains became his story. His chains were his victory. He wasn't letting anyone rob him of joy. He praised God in prison the same way he praised him as a free man.
That story seemed to awaken something within me that I believe has been stirring for quite some time. This tiny flicker of a flame that started around the time of the election last year has now been lit and is growing like a wildfire. Because the truth is this: it's NOW or NEVER. Just like Paul knew that there was a very real chance he would die in prison, I know that our days here are numbered, and we have no idea when our last one is. I don't know want to be a person known for being silent about things that matter. Yes, it is true, the Bible tells us that there is a time for everything, "a time to be silent and a time to speak," (Ecclesiastes 3:7), but if we do not choose when to speak and what to speak about, the Bible also states that we are fools. "The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues." (Proverbs 17:27-28)
You see, as a kid, I never imagined a world where people were scorned for their skin color. It just was totally and completely outside of my realm. My parents never treated anyone differently because of how they looked. For lack of better words, racism was unfathomable to me. I just truly did not believe that it was possible for someone to hold that kind of hate in their heart. It still does not make sense to me. So, I took the first part of that verse, and I thought... "I don't understand this, God, so maybe I should just keep quiet. Maybe I should just continue to love people the same way I always have." But I read the second part of that verse today and I felt like I got punched in the gut. I can no longer be silent. I have been silent for too long, and for that I am sorry. For that I have gone to the Father for forgiveness. The time to speak is NOW, because whether it's hard to believe or not, the truth is that injustice is happening NOW. I do not stand with division. I do not stand with hatred. I do not stand with white supremacy. I do not stand with violence. Jesus could not make it any more clear to me where he stands. And I stand with Him. Always.
Ephesians 2:14-18 says "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility towards each other was put to death. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us."
The Bible repeatedly states that Christ died for all. There is nothing to argue there.
My heart is breaking for those that have been treated unfairly, who have been given less opportunities, who have had to live in fear of being murdered for the color of their skin. My words could never express the sadness I feel in knowing that there are people who treat you that way or the desire I have to change that, but I know that my silence says far more about it than anything else. As Pastor Justin also mentioned this morning, silence implicates acceptance. And I will not accept this. I will fight for you. I will stand with you. I will not be silent.
My words do not feel like enough, but I know that God hears my cries. I will end with this, which is one of my favorite passages of scripture.
"In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest of all--- the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say, "Come, let is go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob's God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For the Lord's teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spares into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore." Isaiah 2:1-4
The image of worshipping with brothers and sisters in Christ of all different skin colors and all different backgrounds and all different personalities.... it makes my heart swell with joy that is unexplainable and uncontainable. I know that day is coming, so I will hold to that hope. And until then, I will not be silent. I will speak out against hatred. I will speak for love. It's now or never.
Comments
Post a Comment