Thought for the Week (7.8.16)

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

    for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

    for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

    for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

    for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

    for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

    for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3-10

34.  That's what I was thinking about this afternoon.  I was doing some projects around the house; one of those was a project I'd promised my eight year old when we moved in nearly seven months ago.  It was a good day to stay busy because thinking about the world right now is simply painful.  I don't have any answers.  

I thought about my son, Walker, and the 34 he's wanted on his wall for months.  It's his number.  Every sport in which he's gotten to choose his number, he's 34.  It's one of my nicknames for him.  I'll just shout, "Hey, 34..."  It's because he's named after my childhood hero, who made #34 famous in the early '80s stalking goal lines across the South -- Herschel Walker.  He's named after a black man.  It wasn't just that he was a sports hero.  I also respected the way he carried himself beyond the field.  That he is African-American was and is inconsequential to me.  That was the name I wanted for my boy.  In college, I repented of a racist spirit and never looked back.  We started a church 11 years ago that has become a place for all people, all races.  African-American, white, Hispanic and Asian people worship together nearly every Sunday there.  The chair of our Trustees is African-American.  Twenty years ago I decided I'd never consider the color of someone's skin an issue ever again.  That's why the pain of this week is real.  I feel the pain of my minority brother's and sisters.  Pain that I know I've never really felt because of the color of my skin.  I don't know where to start.  I also have some of my deepest friendships with those in law enforcement.  My college roommate who became one of my best friends is in law enforcement.  I can't imagine the pain the law enforcement feels when they are demonized because the actions of few and live in fear that someone will retaliate on them.  I don't even know where to start.  

I also know that I don't know a lot. I don't know the details of the situations that escalated this week because I wasn't there.  What I do know is what Jesus preached in his most famous sermon.  I know the world is broken and needs His truth.  And it needs more than my prayers.  It needs my prayers, but it needs more.  It needs you and I to be peacemakers, to be pure in heart, to thirst for righteousness.   When we see injustice, to make peace.  Where there is the temptation for impurity and ugliness, to seek to have a heart that is pure.  Where there is unrighteousness and sin, to hunger and thirst for what is righteous.  It's not all we can do, but it's the most important thing we can do.  We must -- MUST -- live out these words of Jesus in our corner of the world.  IF we did that, we'd change our neighborhood, our town, our county, our state, our country and maybe even our world.