I don’t know how to start this post; I don’t even know what to say. The events of the last month compounded with the atmosphere of this entire year have made my soul restless.
As I watched the stories unfold and the riots ensue, I was filled with tremendous sadness. George Floyd could have been my husband, brother, or cousin. That could be my son in 20 years.
A few weeks ago, I stared at a blank screen, trying to string words together, and I had nothing. I remembered the riots in LA surrounding the Rodney King case– could we really be back here again? Battling the same thing 30 years later? It appears so. I remember the fear that gripped me as a young person, watching these riots on TV, and now, as an adult, I battled the same fear- not just for me but for those that I love.
We must be quick to listen and slow to speak. We cannot heal hearts if we are doing all the talking. We can never underestimate some one else’s pain. We have one Father- which means that we are ALL His children. We all stand with the same authority, given by only one Father. This means we stand as equals. Racism is an illness of the heart. We must pray and model Christ-like behavior. The world is looking for hope and healing, and we must be the change that the world needs. No other organization can truly model that behavior like those that seek the heart of God. Not those tied to legalism or selfish motives. We must be peace makers. We must be joy spreaders. We must speak up for those who can’t. Change starts with me. I am asking God to reveal my own prejudices so that I can fix myself. Change starts with you.
“Everything around me seems uncertain
My weary heart can’t take much more surprise
I wish there was a point on the horizon
Something I could see with my own eyes
I need to tell you that I’m scared
I feel completely unprepared
And nothing’s what it was two weeks ago
But you already know
You already know
Everything I’m scared of
Everything I hope
You hold my tomorrow
And all tomorrow holds
You already know”- JJ Heller
~Shiney
