AMERICA ARE YOU LISTENING?

This week has brought pain and hurt to an already uncertain time. The death of George Floyd seems to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, AGAIN. Through the complexity of all we're feeling right now, it seems that listening is our country’s greatest challenge. Today’s psalm reminds us that in “the sum of our years, being 70 or 80, if we are strong, that most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly, and we drift away.” (Ps 90:10)

Many have toiled over the decades to get us to listen and see the injustice that continues to exist in our nation.  The loss of life and the collective pain of our nation is a grim reminder of our inability to hear the cry of the poor and appropriately respond to personal and institutional injustices.  In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech at the University of Minnesota entitled, “The Other America”.  As I read the speech, I couldn’t help but notice it seems to have a familiar ring of truth for our present time, 53 years later. 

Dr. King says, "…that America has been backlashing on the whole question of basic constitutional and God-given rights for [Blacks] and other disadvantaged groups…. So, these conditions, the existence of widespread poverty, slums, and of tragic conditions in schools and other areas of life, [including our current pandemic,] all these have brought about a great deal of despair and a great deal of desperation. A great deal of disappointment and even bitterness…. Today, [many] of our cities confront huge problems. All of our cities are potentially powder kegs as a result of the continued existence of these conditions. Many in moments of anger, many in moments of deep bitterness, engage in riots.” 

Dr. King goes on in his speech to condemn riots saying, “that riots are socially destructive and self-defeating.” He was convinced that nonviolence is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom and justice, stating, he felt that “violence will create more social problems than they will solve.” 

In the second letter of Peter we hear, “According to [God’s] promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.” (2 Pt 3:13-14) 

When does the violence end, when will peace begin to take shape? When we learn to listen, not just hear them, but listen to the cry of the poor. When we learn to recognize and address the little personal biases, often unconsciously practiced, in our everyday lives. When we willingly become active participants to speak out against institutional injustices within our communities. 

It takes intentional attentiveness and action.   Like the officer who was alert enough to move his partners knee off the neck of an arrested protester or the officers who remove their riot gear to empathetically stand and pray with protesters.  It’s taking the time in our everyday lives; to recognize, listen to, pray for, and stand with our brothers and sisters who are so often invisible and disadvantaged just because of their race, skin color, national origin, or any other classification used to unjustly differentiate and separate God’s children.  God's children who long to see promises of a better community and nation, made by past generations of parents, governments, and churches, fulfilled.  

We all have a part to play in realizing "The Dream".  Let us be found eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, working for and at peace with all our brothers and sisters