Hearts Posture
Take a deep breath and ride this wave with me…
Moment of transparency:
I was outraged at the brutal senseless murder of George Floyd. My heart was broken to see yet another black man die at the hands (knee in this matter) of yet another white police officer. In my brokenness though my heart began to harden toward the racial injustice that has been plaguing my people for over 400 years. My heart began to harden toward not just the white officer that so pridefully forced the life out of a helpless man that was detained and pinned to the ground begging for an opportunity to just be able take his next breath; but my heart began to harden toward the officers who stood by and did nothing, and every other white person that continued to stand by and say nothing. I too demanded my white counter parts that claimed they loved and supported me to stand with me, to mourn with me, to fight beside me. I too said if my so called white friends don’t respond, I’m blocking every last one of them and severing all ties to the white community. The love for all was quickly challenged by the hate of a few. I was too deep in my emotions at the time to see the truth.
God allowed me to sit in that moment and to experience it in it’s fullness, but He didn’t allow me to stay there. At the end of the day friends we are not called to allow our feelings to override the truth of God’s word and the responsibility we have as sons and daughters. I was reminded of an innocent man that was talked about, lied on, betrayed, spit on, brutally beaten for 6 hours and crucified for me while I was yet a sinner. Not once did He ask for an apology, not once did he demand someone to stand up for his injustices. Instead he said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” He was not a man that he didn’t understand how hard that was, he was so burdened with having to die for a people who hated him and who would crucify him for doing the work of the Father, “and being in anguish he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44).
As difficult as this is to read, it was even more difficult for me to receive because I was raw in my emotions. I was reminded that man is fallible and will fail us at the most crucial times; that is why God calls us to put our hope in Him and Him alone (Psalm 33:22). Who are we to decide how someone shows us that they love us. Who are we to decide how someone should support us. Who are we to choose who we forgive and who we will come into allegiance with based off how they treat us and make us “feel”. God says, “ Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:10) As children of God, we are not called to repay evil with evil. (Romans 12:17), we are not called to be conquered by evil, but to conquer evil with good. (Romans 12:21)
The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. (Mark 12:31) I am not talking about loving how the world loves; that love is fickle and conditional. I am talking about the Love of God that is patient and kind, not self-seeking, it keeps no records of wrong and covers a multitude of sins. (1 Corinthians 134-7). God didn’t recommend it He commands it. Each trial and tribulation is an opportunity for us to develop and to share His character. Our assignment is to love the unlovable and to be light unto darkness. We get no extra kudos for loving those that are easy to love or preaching to those that already know God. (Matthew 5:43-48) That’s a cake walk and counter productive.
I know that this is hard and you may be wondering “why do I have to be the bigger person, why are they not being held accountable, what bout them?” The unbeliever doesn’t know God who is love….so he doesn’t know love; you can’t expect him to love you or to treat you any different. The bible says that, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” If a blind man runs you over and hurts you, are you going to demand he apologize? I would hope not! I would hope that you would have compassion and grace for him because he can’t see. For he is crippled by lack of vision; and so is the unbeliever.
We are in this world but we are not called to be attached to the ways, the systems, or the things of this world. Before flesh we are spirit. We must learn to quickly crucify daily that which will cause us to miss the mark.
I love you with my heart and soul, and pray that you receive this and be encouraged that as we suffer in Him, we will reign in Him. He always causes (makes) us to triumph!
If you desire prayer, guidance or support, please contact me. Leave a comment and share with someone else who needs to hear this.