RAW
Yesterday I felt very frustrated as well as angry, hurt, sad, and confused. I spent many moments of the day in tears. There are many people out there who follow my page. Some who actually know me, and some who only know what I write. Most who proclaim how much they love me, have learned from me, and believe in my message. . . until I begin to talk about what it feels like to be a black woman in America, or share truths about America that are uncomfortable, then my words often become invalid or viewed as “politically driven.” These truths make people angry. I don’t understand it. How does one love another, yet become angered by their truth?
I know it’s delightful to hear me talk, and read writings discussing the truth of God’s love for each of us, how He is always with us, how He works in our lives, and how just, beautiful He is. It’s easy for most of us to hear those things. They make us feel good. They make us feel warm and comfortable.
Here’s a hard truth: If a person will only stand with me and my message when it’s comfortable for them, I’d rather them not stand with me at all.
I am seeing too many conflicting messages out there right now. Too many people holding tight to their rights and their patriotism and everything they have always believed, yet discard the feelings, truths, and pain of other humans. I am seeing people refuse to believe things that offend their sensibilities, the things that cause too much discomfort.
Believe me, I don’t want to believe the uncomfortable things either. I don’t want to believe people can be so uncaring, so hateful, -- but just because I don’t want it to be true, doesn’t make it false.
When I share that something hurts me, why is it so hard to let go of it simply because you have the right to hold on to it?
It hurts me.
Do you believe letting go will hurt you? Is there something I can let go of that hurts you?
Friends. This is all so hard, and truthfully, I don’t want any part of it. However, I was born a part of it and so were you. Whether we like it or not we are all in this together. How about creating something beautiful out of some of the ugly we were born into? I don’t want to believe that the very foundation of our country was rooted in racism...real racism. From the whole of the poem from which we now have the National Anthem, to children’s nursery rhymes. I don’t want to believe it, and it’s difficult to digest, but it’s true.
It still affects us today.
My guess is, we can all agree that foundations are important. We know they are important because the Bible talks about it in scores, but here are a few. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 says, “Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.”
1 Timothy 6:19 shares, “By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”
And finally, “But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.” 2 Timothy 2:19
When we look back at the foundation of this country and what it was rooted in, yet still fight to hold on to those rotten roots, and refuse to rebuild, it will cause everything to come crumbling down. That’s what we are seeing today. This country has not been built on Godly values. Most of us did not even know about the origin of so many things we hold dear, but it is important to know and respect the fact that it is a painful origin. Research the roots of our national anthem. Learn about our constitution, who wrote it, and what they and it really stood for.
Was the foundation built on Christ and the values He taught us? If not, why are some of us fighting so hard to hold on to it? It’s time to rebuild. I do love this country and all it has the potential to be. I find the thought that those of us who are living today, can be a part of a new country built on a foundation of love for God and each other, truly exhilarating.
I’m going to be transparent when I tell you I feel like giving up sometimes, but if I give up, Satan wins. I know there are people out there who will not see my heart, will read into this message believing I have ulterior motives, and will unfollow, block, or unfriend me, but I hope not.
Listen, I love you. I want to understand where you are coming from. If something I share, truly hurts you, I want to know, and then work to reconcile that. I hope you will do the same for me and others who look or feel the way I do. We have got to fight for each other. Not our parties, not our denomination, not our rights. . . each other.
It doesn’t matter what you believe...
LOVE FIRST.
That’s it. Love first, then see what follows.
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3
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