May I tell you a story? A story to fight for justice?
It’s not my story. It’s not George Floyd’s story.
But it is nonetheless a story of injustice, hate and violence.
The story, even though it is not mine… belongs to me. The story is woven into the fabric of the choices made, the family I’m in and the injustice seen.
The story I want to tell screams of one who fought for their message, but was killed because of it.
His story rages against the leaders, the people in control, the ones who were “supposed” to fight for the right thing.
His story combats any form of anger, “fight for my side” and pitting one another against each other.
This story is one of my Savior, Jesus.
You see the Bible tells us that Jesus, a man of perfect character, intense and sacrificial love, gave everything for the enemies He came to rescue… us.
Dear church, this week we have seen the brutal murder of a creation of God. Our Father is grieving. He is broken. George Floyd was a human being made in God’s own image.
I’ve wrestled with words to say. Decided against saying anything and God wouldn’t let it go. Because God can’t let this go.
God’s son Himself was murdered. He suffocated.
He died while mockers laughed in his face. While onlookers stood by and turned their faces, while friends and family hid and were fearful.
This was injustice.
But what is God’s call to us… today.
When we, his beloved church see injustice:
- Murdered black men
- Murdered unborn children
- Starving orphans
- Lonely widows
- Families torn apart by hatred
- Foster children with no family
- Human beings with no roof over their head
This is our call to fight.
For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His one and only son.
John 3:16a
Church. He loved us so much that he risked an unjust murder of His only son.
That whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16b
He risked it all… so that we may be rescued from our own injustice to HIM.
And not so that we can live in superficial peace behind our doors and ignore the pain that’s literally swirling around our neighborhoods.
But He risked it all so that we can be rescued from our OWN injustice we’ve created.
So where does that leave our story? The human race’s story. The church’s story.
What do we do when we see:
A black man murdered by someone who should have protected him.
The dying child who should have been fed a meal but was left starving.
The abused wife who should have been protected and loved fiercely.
Where does this leave us?
I would like to suggest the opportunity to not point to black or white or one side or another, one person’s sin greater than our own… but to look to Jesus.
Look to His unjust death, His perfection and our inability to fight justice apart from Him.
When we do this, we see ALL of our ability and propensity to do the wrong thing, the evil thing. Jesus levels the playing field and calls us all to repentance.
We all fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
It is only when we realize the sinfulness that lives in us and is us… then we can begin to fight for the justice He died for.
Only when we see the man and woman and child that stands beside us as a child of God, loved by him and fallen in nature can we begin to move forward with His hands and feet.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
Looking to the cross is the only place where the battle of injustice can begin. Because the problem doesn’t lie in a racial divide, lack of food or resources to feed those starving children, or in lack of homes to house the fatherless.
But the injustice begins in our own hearts.
If you find your heart today struggling and burdened with the intense divide, the lack of answers to the problems or the stirring of the need to “do something…” I would love to leave you with this:
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Pray for where God wants you to fight for justice.
Is it in the racial fight currently? Maybe it is among the foster care system? Is it for unborn babies who can’t fight for themselves? Maybe it is for starving families in your own neighborhood and around the globe.
But God calls us to more than hiding behind our comfortable walls. Where would He have you fight today?