I am never disappointed at the things God does in my life... I've been thinking a lot about connect the dots, and I'm posting something about that soon, after I clean it up... I am in a silly mood tonight and I think it's because after a long time of trials I have some breathing room, and lots of encouragement.
I think I say this a lot, but I might not say it as much as I think, when I speak of trials I am not in despair, deep in my heart, and my most inward core I know the truth, God is here, He is watching, He is in control, but I think it is healthy to voice our fears. I think so that we don't get entangled in them, and I think mostly because another in the same distress can feel encouraged to know they are not alone. Yes, many of us say we are never alone with God, but there's a reason He gave Eve to Adam, and there's a reason He asks us to love one another... We were not meant to live in caves.
More so on this I have been thinking of division and anger I guess because of all the things in the news about racism and I think so much of how so many voices are never heard. So may say it's opportunity, and some may say it's power struggles I'm fighting for words... But I tend to feel that we don't take each other in one at a time.
Yes it's human nature to make inferences and generalizations and categories to better function in understanding... Examples cat, dog, rat, rabbit = furry four legged creature = animal... We say a small child "mistook a cat for a dog" no, simply they know a dog walks on four legs and is furry, they see a cat and don't see the difference it wasn't taught. Okay, then we do the same with whatever categories we have race, gender, sexuality, religion, faith etc mix that in with our own hurts, pains, traumas and sin we get potential for anger, fear, violence, division and opinions that very hurt and/or reject others. However, if you add grace, forgiveness, mercy, and love into the mix you have potential for a lot of other levels. We always hear about "racist" saying "well, I have a friend who is ..." and we rant at them saying this is not a valid argument against their hatred of another race (or their own)... Why would we think it is? Well, maybe because we love our friends, and where love is racism or any other bigotry cannot fully exist with out needing to be choked out, by that love.
Am I saying that love can cancel out years of hate and injustice and cruelty? Why, of course I am saying that. I don't think any of what has happened to these people in the news is right, yet I cannot say that the white man in law enforcement who killed a black man of the community is completely and wholly evil. Why? Because I would have to say you're completely evil, or I am, okay I might be but I believe in a God who created us in His image, and I also believe sin is rampant in this world, and I also believe that His son came to tell us to love our enemies, because God is love and love concurs all evil no matter what. I don't mean to say that the pain and hurt of the victims in these stories don't matter, that is not the point.
My point is we are adding to anger is we only focus on our own hurts, what of the hurts of another. One was never taught to look beyond their own lives and understanding, then one will never want to understand and never be able to understand. If I grew up being scared of the sky and only came out when it was cloudy then what real knowledge to I have of the sky except what I have been told? I believe that is the sin committed against those in privilege or anyone really that we suppose is better off, or wiser, or more powerful. We assume they have the same values. Guess what they don't, and even if they claim the same faith and religion, they don't have your same values. If we judge by the law, our own or anyone else's, we are all guilty and deserve death. In the end this is what I try to live and breath and this is why I am tired, so tired of the posts and comments and tweets about the same pain. I get it, no I don't think it's wrong to feel pain to voice it, but aggression begets aggression, and superficial little rants about it will not fix a thing. It will only make those who are also hurt and scared just as you are to be more hurt and scared and paranoid.
What I have decided is to talk to those I love about it, one on one, and I think that's the only way anything will change. Love binds us, beyond opinions, faith, race, gender, and anything else you can throw at me. Love, cancels out all hurt. Love can make a discussion about something that has happened for centuries come into the living room of a home and change at least those in that room. I refuse to go to any link about some random story of a person I don't know at this point because it will only add to any biases my heart has, and probably even develop others. If I am branded for this post, so be it, but if you love me I would hope we can talk about it. I have done the opposite many times in the past to my shame. It's easy to close a door on someone and say you're better off, but you will be alone. I think this is the same for the white police officer who killed the black man who stole cigarettes and that whole issue and we then closing our hearts to "those people" whichever side you are on, and crying about it on the internet. We all want to be heard, but the tongue cannot be tamed by man, and the tongue steer a whole ship into fire and death. This is why I have been silent. Today I decided not to be.
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