I have so many things to say, but no safe way to say them. I’ve been told that if I say anything, I’ll be “cancelled” by one group or another. I haven’t always done the safe thing, yet I mostly choose to do the right thing.
There are too many people with too little actual openhearted exposure to the struggles of others. Deep seated stereotypes and grievances fill the thoughts of minds to the point that nothing new can fit in. They don’t understand and may be too afraid to care about the pain of others. Facing reality is of course very scary.
We all need to seek to understand what our minority friends and neighbors are going through. And take time to listen and seek to understand the emotions they are going through. This is required if we actually love those around us.
I have seasons where my fire needs to be stoked. Often I may be upset at the situation that pushed me into a better position for my love, for my neighbor, to burn more intensely. But I understand this cycle, the Spirit moves me for the purpose He created me for. The love of God must burn more intensely within me and this causes the love for my neighbor to burn more righteously.
Jesus said these are the top two commands; love the Lord with all your mind, heart, soul and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Yet, I see many fellow Christians around me who are always simply going through the motions of religious ritual. They seem to refuse to be moved from their present state of smoldering. Piles of wood have been laid around them, but the wood has smothered the fire. The wood has never been allowed to dry. It stays wet with the with the heavy dew of indifference.
Now, here we are again, many minds are still closed and pyre’s formed. Their fire is no more than a small flicker trying to burn the sacrifice of faux indignation.
I’m calling you out to do something more than pose for a social media picture.
Let the hurting grieve with a shout and fierce resolve. Let us all be active to the betterment of the situation that caused the pain in our neighbors, and let us love with action and not simply words.
Love and pray deeply enough to change yourself and seek to change the circumstance of the hurting. Be a change agent. If protests are not for you, that’s fine.
What I do may not be seen in the public square, because that’s not everyone’s role, but my resolve is to be part of changing the circumstance of the hurting with the gifts and the circumstance God has given me in order to do His will. I will use my influence in my situation to bring change.
WHY HAS YOUR LOVE TURNED COLD?!
