Hi Friends,
I've been troubled and challenged from all the arguments about whose lives matter and who's racist and who's marginalized and who's ignorant and who's this and that. And now, I've become weary of the talk and the protests and the pointing fingers. So I have one thing to say to you and to me:
LESS TALK, MORE LOVE
If you say black lives matter, stop arguing, quit protesting, roll up your sleeves, and get out there and make a real, positive difference in the lives of real people of color. Help pregnant mothers and save unborn black babies. Their lives matter. Go into poor, hurting parts of your community and bring hope and healing, give, love, start programs that bring people together. Do something positive to promote healthy relationships between the police and the most crime-ridden parts of your community. Support families and discourage kids from gangs. Don't wait for the government to fix it. YOU are the LIGHT of the world. Go and shine in the lives of those whose lives matter.
If you say all lives matter, stop arguing, quit posting trite things on social media, roll up your sleeves, and get out there and make a real, positive difference in the lives of real people. Help pregnant mothers and save unborn babies. Their lives matter. Go into poor, hurting parts of your community and bring hope and healing, give, love, start programs that bring people together. Do something positive to promote healthy relationships between the police and the most crime-ridden parts of your community. Support families and discourage kids from gangs. Don't wait for the government to fix it. YOU are the LIGHT of the world. Go and shine in the lives of those whose lives matter.
1 Peter 3:8-16 has wise words for our time:
"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 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. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days… must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. … But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats]; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord ... keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."
And so in all the cacophony of rhetoric that threatens to drown out what's true and real and right, I cling to this one thing: THIS is the time for the people of God to rise up, not with angry faces and loud, divisive words, but with LOVE in ACTION, with open hearts and spirits submitted to the One who gave Himself for us ALL. THIS is our moment to shine the light and love of an amazing, WONDERFUL, God!
What can YOU do????
That's a question I've been asking myself as well. While we don't have a lot of African Americans in my community (the vast majority of people are hispanic), we do have gangs, gun violence, murders, and distrust between certain parts of the community and the police. What can I do to help? Well, I've got some ideas just-brewing on how to use our new Wonder Wood Ranch to try to talk less, love more. To try to make a difference in some of these areas in my own community. To help create trust and relationships where they're most needed and hopefully make a positive difference in the lives of people, because they matter. They matter to God. They matter to me. Pray for me, friends! I am beginning to dream …
