Hate seems to be escalating at record speed these days. It’s manifesting itself absolutely everywhere. When we turn on the news we see story after story of violence, vandalism, rape, deceit, murder, etc.
Recently much of the news is focused on Charlottesville. Everyone has an opinion. More and more people seem to be voicing their opinion and/or acting out in awful ways. Too many of us want to blame political leaders and groups of people.
I’ve written similar things about this in the past. When we see all these hate-filled crimes acted out in the streets, that is only the result of what is happening in our minds and hearts. We took the God of the Bible out of the “public eye” in America. Many churches are hiding inside their “bubbles” and they think they are doing something because they are praying or talking amongst themselves.
What Christians obviously are not doing is reaching out to the world outside the church doors. In my most humble opinion, the “bubble” effect has affected ever single church in America. No exceptions. Some churches are filled with “knowledge” and forgetting to love their fellow man, while others are the exact opposite and many, many others are in the middle of this continuum. Where are you?
Are we getting so caught up in social issues and/or political issues that we lost sight of the important stuff? When was the last time we personally looked into the mirror and questioned OURSELVES? What exactly are we waiting for?
The political landscape in America is merely a RESULT of what is happening with “We the People.” Hate-filled groups are gaining ground and the church is hiding and/or arguing amongst themselves trying to decide who to blame? Is it Donald Trump’s fault? Hillary’s fault? Obama’s fault? Black Lives Matter’s fault? The KKK? White Supremacy? How about?
It’s the churches’ fault! Not just the church leaders, but the members also.
When are we going to stop pointing the finger outward and simply look in the mirror and ask OURSELVES “what can I PERSONALLY do today to help the racism problem in America turn in the right direction?” We can all do something today.
Stop blaming and start loving. Start the conversations. We are on the same page with so many people. Who wants violence and vandalism to continue? Only a complete fool would want that. Don’t we all want a safe America where our children and our children’s children can live in a peaceful, civilized society regardless of what they believe in?
Quite frankly, I don’t care who started what.. but who will begin to end it? Christians, it’s time to get into the game, today and then repeat tomorrow and the day after that. There is no need to start or join an organization to begin today. Just talk to someone and listen to them. Create honest friendships with folks that think differently from you. We all have much to gain by the this. Stop trying to analyze and try to understand and listen. All this analyzing and talking about the problem within our circles and/or bubbles won’t do anyone a bit of good if we aren’t loving our fellow man.
The racism problem is real. I don’t want anyone to be fearful of their lives when walking in the streets of America. The only way the problem will get solved is on a PERSONAL level. The majority of people out there, regardless of what they believe, want this also.
It can be accomplished. The formula is simple. Put God first (the God of the Bible), then others. Every wonder why that theme runs through the entire Bible? I believe self-love is our naturally tendency. We tend to get completely full of ourselves and have to be “right” all the time. God reminds us to love others.
Let’s simply have simple faith and believe Him. Many lost souls out there that want to feel loved. Can’t we just start there? We are on the same page in so many ways, if we talk to each other, we’d see that.
“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)
Image: CCO Creative Commons; https://pixabay.com/en/man-eyes-portrait-person-young-894182/
