There’s something about being in Washington D.C. There’s something about the news reported there. At home I can be aware of what is going on locally, even globally, and politically, but when we’re in D.C. it seems like it’s everything, it’s national news. Maybe it’s just because I actively and attentively watch the news there and we have conversations about it while we’re there because my grandfather likes to watch the news and keeps it on.
So this past week we were in D.C. to put my grandmother (Omi) in her final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery. The service went well. Then we spent a few extra days there with my grandfather just visiting. Anyways, throughout the week we watched the news consistently and I read the paper just about every morning at breakfast. We watched as the FBI decided that Hillary Clinton did something wrong but suggested not to charge her, we watched as the House suggested they would pursue a hearing or press charges against Hillary Clinton, we watched as President Obama went to Charlotte, North Carolina with Hillary Clinton and sucked in every word of praise she offered about him, and then returned the favor to her, we watched as Trump made statements regarding Hillary Clinton and the FBI, we watched as the people with the power have tried to create separate rules for some. We watched as people were innocently, shamefully killed.
All of this news watching and awareness has got me thinking and questioning and wondering. Now, I know we live in a fallen world. I know that just like every other human on Earth, I am a sinner. I know that God does not see a lie any less or bigger than murder, but I know that the world does. Now I am not very political and I usually try to keep political thoughts to myself, but being that all of these things ran on the same news broadcast I saw them at the same time and questioned them at the same time. Why is it that we can sit back and allow the safety of our nation go to the wayside? Whether it’s Hillary Clinton sharing classified information and lying about things, or it’s a police officer who kills someone, our world seems to be at the point where we will let anything slide. What happened to morals and values? What happened to respecting people? What is our world coming to?
It’s a sad thing when every day there’s a new hashtag in an effort to support a family, community, or group. One because it’s usually the result of some horrific injustice done to someone, and two because, we should just love and support and defend and stand with each other on a daily basis. Why does it take these horrific events for us to rally together? It’s also a sad thing when we are so divided that we have to say x matters or y matters instead of being able to have been saying all along, you my neighbor, matter! No matter who you are, what mistakes you’ve made, what color you are (and let me just say that I am saddened not only for those living in fear, but also that it has to come down to black and white. This is by no means meant to offend anyone, just to work out thoughts, but just the same way that blacks feel they are targeted disproportionally by cops compared to whites, is exactly what is happening to the white cops who have nothing to do with these cases of injustice. White cops are being disproportionally slandered, want dead, etc. because of the errors of a few. It is not really the entire white cop population you want revenge from, it is the few fallen humans who have made mistakes and made bad choices. But guess what, we all have made bad choices and mistakes that have hurt others, and that we can’t take back, and no they do not always result in unjust death, but they hurt God’s heart just the same.) Regardless of that…
You don’t just matter now, because something horrible has happened, you have always mattered, in my heart, in my friends hearts, and most importantly, in God’s heart.
I am sorry for everything happening in the world, I am sorry for those communities and people groups who live in a constant fear of walking outside, or going to the store, or whatever the fear is. I hope that as the days and months and years continue we as a nation can really do the things we like to hashtag or claim. Take for example the U.S. Women’s National Team for Soccer, they have their OneNation or OneTeam hashtag, but where in the American public is this in action? Not to say there are not groups here or there who are working as a team unit, or who are helping others and putting others first and doing good things. But where is this nationally? Where is this for the black community who lives in fear? I hope that as the days and months and years continue we can find a way to stand together and not allow these horrible things to happen to our friends, family, community, nation, humankind. I really truly hope that if there is a way out there to turn our nation back around, then we will be able to find it and implement it. Back to the days where we could feel safe as a whole, where we could trust our leaders, where we could go outside and play freely until dinner time, where we could interact and love on our neighbors regardless of their skin color, political beliefs, jobs, whatever differences we may have with them. I know there will never come a day that all the people of the world choose God and eternal salvation, but I surely hope that there will come a day when enough God-fearing Christians will stand up together and make it so that the nation knows what love can truly be like, knows that even though there may be fears on this Earth, there is hope in an eternity with God in Heaven, knows and feels safe enough to trust their neighbor, trust their leaders, trust the cops, trust they will be okay going to a movie or a club or a sporting event. I hope that one day we have enough people in our country standing up together, or in high up positions as a means of leading the nation to once again being united. We like to say when something bad happens that lives matter, that we are united together, that we are one nation or one team.
What would our world look like if we said these things in every moment of every day?
What would our world look and be like if we stood together against the injustices so wrongly happening around us?
What would our world look like if we could join together and truly say and walk in the idea we are united as one in America?
Think of the freedoms we could truly feel and experience. Sure we have great freedoms in America. But think of the even greater freedoms we could have.
Lord, Help us to love you. Help us to feel and experience your grace and mercy for our sins. We are all sinners and we all fall short. This world is broken and fallen and we need you. While all of these injustices stink bad we know you have a good and perfect plan for every situation. Give us hope. Give us the strength to stand up against these horrific events that are happening. Give us the strength to stand together in your name. We need you now more than ever Lord.
