We’re Ready to Listen.

I need to start here, in a plea for peace, please stop the violence. We need civility if we are to move forward with change. You have the attention of the world, it’s time to speak calmly, rationally, just about everyone is ready to listen. Continued violence is only going to cause an increase in reactionary measures that will turn good people into monsters, dilute your message, and deny you the audience that you need and require to begin the process of real change. Continued violence and destruction will continue to hurt good people, it will hurt already emotionally hurting people, and silence those whose voices need to be heard. Please end the violence.

The complexity of this situation is overwhelming and there is no easy answer, but what we are doing, what has been done in the past is not working.

Curtis Hayes was right in the above video. We need to end this cycle. We need to come up with a better way to get the message across. I need to emphasize and applaud how he handled himself. He has now been able to communicate to the world his message because amongst the chaos, he was reasonable, logical, calm, and precise, rarely does anyone get to share their grievances from a jail cell. Getting the message across effectively requires calm, peace and pressure.

Much like any wound, we need to apply constant pressure to stop the bleeding of our fellow americans, no change will happen if we go back to our previous lives once the fires are out and the protests are over. We need to apply pressure to our legislative branch to make adjustments, but ultimately this change will start in us. If we change our hearts, we change our future actions and decisions, the law only applies to things that have happened in the past, things that have already been done. This is not a law problem, this is a heart problem.

This is a spiritual post. It has to be. Without God there can be no positive change. As we get further and further away from Him, we will get more and more lost. God is everything that is good, He is the metric as to which we can measure what is right, and by following His guidance, what is wrong. Our society, culture has been moving away from God and the further away we get, the more lost we become. The more lost we are, the more wickedness and sinfulness will prevail which will push us further and further into civil unrest. We need God, now more than ever.

I want to draw your attention into Proverbs, written by King Solomon, who instead of riches, power, or long life asked God for discernment and an obedient heart, to understand justice. God granted his request by giving him a wise and understanding heart, to the point that there has never been or ever will be another like him to ever walk the Earth. ( 1 Kings 3:7-14 ) By some coincidence I had been reading through Proverbs when the riots hit, and it has a lot to say to everyone in the middle of this pain and unrest.

  • Change starts in your everyday behavior, and affects the world around you as your heart changes: seek righteousness and integrity.
    • Proverbs 20:7 – The one who lives with integrity is righteous; his children after him will be happy.
    • Proverbs 13:21 – Disaster pursues sinners, but good rewards the righteous.
  • Seek wisdom,
  • Seek the Lord and you will find peace
    • Proverbs 16:7 – When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

When we justify disorder, wickedness, evil and lawlessness because of something someone did to us it only leads to more wickedness, disorder evil and lawlessness, an infinite cycle that will never, ever end. Instead, we should uphold the law to the best of our abilities, which is to battle against wickedness, ( Proverbs 28:4 ) and even a step further; if you are able to show kindness back to those who would do you harm, your enemies, it’s like pouring burning coals on their head. ( Proverbs 25:21-22 )

To the ones that would say that they are avenging the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, or countless others with violence, looting, hurting others, destruction of property, I would point you to Proverbs 20:22:

Creator: Julio Cortez | 
Credit: AP
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Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil! ” Wait on the Lord , and He will rescue you.

Proverbs 20:22

To those who are knowingly and blatantly racist, or discriminate over any group of people that you that have jurisdiction over, right after that in Proverbs 20:23, and Proverbs 20:10:

Differing weights are detestable to the Lord , and dishonest scales are unfair.

Proverbs 20:23 HCSB

To those applauding the riots, bailing out those who have committed legitimate crimes of hate, violence and destruction:

A person with great anger bears the penalty; if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.

Proverbs 19:19 HCSB

To my brothers and sisters in Christ we need to point people to Jesus, without Him, no change is possible, and we will be right back here again in a few years. We need to speak up, and speak out when we witness an injustice:

‘Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed. Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy. ‘

Proverbs 31:8-9

There is so much wrong right now, I am overwhelmed and saddened. I am overwhelmed by the sheer scale of this issue and the complexity of the solution. I am saddened by the continued pain my fellow americans endure.

We need to grab the wheel and steer it towards what is right, we need to point our world to Christ. We look to Him because we cannot always trust ourselves to make the best decisions. We need Jesus, or at the most basic level, even if you don’t want to be religious, we need to follow His example, if not for you, for your children, for future generations, for your fellow human beings. Curtis Hayes was worried about his children following in his footsteps, he didn’t want them to follow in his footsteps. Christ gives us an alternative way to walk, a better way to go. He has come so that we can have life in abundance ( John 10:10 ), that He works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose ( Romans 8:28 ). We need Jesus, who changes our hearts. As our hearts change, our lives change, our families change and our communities change.

Please stop the violence. We are ready to listen.

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