Warning – I am not here to push any political agenda or ideology. I believe I am sharing what I feel God is continuing to remind me of.
This past weekend has been tragic, full of hate, anger, and just about every other negative emotion that one can think. The tragic events surrounding the town of Charlottesville, VA only echo the fact that we live in a fallen world, and hate still courses through the hearts of many in our country. Even more disheartening have been the multiple posts/comments seen on various social media sites. A combination of all of this led me to ask myself this question, “how do I respond to ALL of it”?
Honestly, I feel a mixture of sadness and anger. It’s 2017 and STILL there are fools out there spewing hate and drawing people to their side because they are “brave” enough to say what others are afraid to say. I’m saddened by this because many have fought and died for this country AND I feel like this spits in the face of their sacrifice. What’s worse, is that when I look at my own heart towards this, I’m saddened by my own thoughts towards those who would do these things. If I can be honest, I would execute every single one of them! NO trial, NO jury, just straight to execution! This saddens me because it only shows that my heart has just as much evil as the ALT-right nazis as well as other hate-groups.
But then, I look to the Cross and start to come grips with some truths:
- Christ did not come to overthrow the government! He came so that those who were lost (which is all of us) would be found and brought back to their Heavenly Father. If you read The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), you won’t find this sermon with easy, practical steps to godliness but some extremely difficult commands to follow. No analogies or metaphors, just Jesus raising the bar for holiness!
- Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. Not some sinned. Not some have sinned less or worse but ALL HAVE SINNED. The hard part about accepting this truth is that we want to assign levels of sin.”Well they are spewing hate, trying to kill people, etc. I only have done (insert sin here)”. True some sins are worse than others (from a human standpoint) but in the eyes of God, sin is sin. To Him, sin is ANYTHING that separates us from Him. It is extremely hard to accept looking upon a person lustfully, lying, stealing is just as bad a murder to God. I would say for many this would even seem unfair AND unloving of God. But it is important to get this because you begin to see the total depravity of our world and of yourself (I count myself in this too). God is holy and just (not two of His most popular attributes) but He is also merciful AND gracious towards us.
- Romans 5:8 tells us “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Sinners can be replaced with enemies, which makes this statement sting even more. While we were His enemies, Christ died for us. In the middle of the mess our lives, Christ comes crashing in, reaches out to us, pulls us out of the muck and mire then places us on solid ground so that we can continue to walk in the light. Not because we earned or deserved it but because GOD IS LOVE!
The Gospel speaks to me in the middle of this craziness because it reminds me that Christ died so that I can am redeemed and made righteous before God because I believe in Him. BUT it also gives me hope because if God can work in my hard heart then he can work in ANYONE’S heart.
In the mean time, as a believer, I will “pray for those who persecute me”, and do my best to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my Lord”. This means standing up when injustice occurs, showing others the same grace that has been afforded me, and being the Salt & Light that He has called me to be.
I know I will never do this perfectly but where I fall short, God’s grace will meet me to help continue on the path he has set me on.
Blessings
Mursian Chronicles 