Devalued

HAPPY MONDAY!

I wish I wasn’t thinking about today’s word-of-the-week…

DEVALUED

I’m sad for a handful of friends who feel this morning as though their lives are once again devalued by the society in which they live.

My friends sincerely believe today that they, their children, siblings, or other family members could be murdered in broad daylight, and the perpetrator wouldn’t be held accountable. They harbor this fear because they live in the United States and their skin is black.

In church yesterday it’s likely no one addressed this fear. While we’re willing to talk in general terms about equality and diversity, nobody wants to touch the political hot buttons around the very real issues my friends confront.

I wonder if sometime in the past few months a pastor’s celebrated, perhaps to resounding applause, America’s Second Amendment right to carry the weapons that amplify the danger my friends face. I wonder if from the pulpit they’ve heard unqualified respect for the wisdom of the founders who established that right without any mention that many of those same founders owned slaves. If they’ve not heard those messages in their local churches, they’ve certainly received them from the institutional American church.

In his new book The Locust Effect, Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission, describes the devastating impact of systemic violence on the poor around the world. It strikes me that this effect isn’t limited either to the poor or to developing countries.

My friends aren’t poor. They and their families live and work in middle-class America, and they speak of being followed and profiled simply because someone didn’t think they belonged. They wonder whether they or someone they know will be the next Treyvon Martin or Jordan Davis.

# # #

My friends are, I believe, victims of injustice.

Dr. King correctly said it wasn’t sufficient to sympathize. If one sees an injustice, at some point it’s necessary to become engaged.

The church ought to drive the discussion about solutions. It’s not happening, and that needs to change. More about that tomorrow.

For now, I can only offer what seem like the words of Jesus, spoken by one of His people:

“It’s sad for Mr. Dunn that he will live the rest of his life in that sense of torment, and I will pray for him. And I’ve asked my family to pray for him.”  ~ Lucia McBath, Jordan Davis’ mom, after hearing the mixed verdict in the trial of the man who killed her son.

Forgiveness and grace in the face of overwhelming grief demonstrate the authentic meaning of Jordan’s life.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

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