James 1:19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
There is an intensity right now in our country. People were all ready on edge because of the lockdowns around the country. People were already posting competing theories about why things were happening the way they were. Then, the horrific video of George Floyd surfaced. I have seen several posts about this. Everyone condemned what happened. Yet I have seen some that have tried to use statistics to quelle the anger. Certainly, there are many statistics that should be considered in discussions moving forward. But I don’t think statistics are helpful right now. There is a lot of pain and hurt pent up in real people’s lives. I believe we need to set aside from our minds for this season every political position and group that we think may be trying to advance an ideology in the protests. Allow the authorities to deal as best they can with the violence and other behavior that is damaging communities. We don’t need to speak to the wrong of any of that. What is wrong is obvious.
So, what do we do then? As a white male, the first thing I do is to be honest with myself that I don’t get it. I have never experienced what black men and women experience every day. I will never understand their experience from the inside. Then I must follow James advice. I must be quick to hear. I need to listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to me about my own attitudes, my own assumptions, my own perspectives. I need to ask the Lord is there any hurtful way in me!! I need to look to practical ways to bless and serve. This is what I am personally trying to do in this season.
May the Lord give us all the grace to be slow to speak right now and quick to hear. May we find brothers and sisters who we can grieve with and simply listen. May we seek to bless and serve without recognition. May we truly follow Jesus in the way of Jesus. May we pray for the reality of the Kingdom of God to break through.
Mark Fesmire serves as pastor of Grace church in Lynchburg, VA