This is no longer a time to point out the fact that some police officers are “good.” This is not the time to ask what he was arrested for or say that he must’ve done something wrong to get himself in that position. The fact of the matter is that George Floyd was a living breathing human being. A soul created by God himself! As a Christian, we are instilled with the principle of love above all else as the greatest commandment of Jesus, our Savior (Matthew 22:36-40). The grief and love felt for this man is out of an overflow for what God has shown us in our own lives. If you see it solely as a rule that needs to be followed, then I implore you to search again and change your heart to reflect the sacrificial love that Jesus lived for the entire world.
Coupled with this love, we are instilled with the same righteous anger that Jesus portrayed in the temple when this holy place became nothing more than a glorified market (John 2:14-17). This anger the community is feeling IS justified. It is a gross misconduct and overstep of power by people who have sworn to protect the community above all else. There were AT LEAST three officers apprehending one man who was already in handcuffs! The videos might not have the whole story, but it does not change the fact that justice needs to be served the same way it would be if this happened with a soldier in combat.
I implore my fellow Christians to stand up in righteous anger for the justice that needs to be served. It is done out of love for the Father and all His creation. We can no longer idly stand by as our nation continues with hatred. This is no longer about whether you are Republican or Democrat, old or young, white or black. This is about our nation. Racism is a disease. It is a form of hatred that we have allowed to spread like wildfire throughout our country. The remedy? The remedy is The love that Jesus instills in us. When Jesus whipped people out of the synagogue, it was for hatred of the act and principles NOT hatred of the man.
To the family of George Floyd, I am truly and deeply sorry that you have to endure this. As a young white man, I will never know your struggle nor do I claim to understand it now. I would like to leave you with the hope of Jesus Christ. A hope that perspective and people can change as I have. A hope that George’s death can be celebrated one day. Not for the way that he was maliciously murdered, but for the change that resulted from it.
“Peace I leave with you; My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
RIP George Floyd
