FERGUSON? NEW YORK? what is our response?

What are our lessons from Ferguson and New York? If you’ve been living in a hole or choose to stay oblivious to the events of the past few months, the simple explanation is two black men died at the hands of police officers. Grand Juries in both cases saw no criminal intent, on the officer’s part. Indictments were not levied and racial tension, protest and feelings of racial stereotyping were brought to national attention. What is a Christian’s response? What should we do? How do we minister to the needs, of either the offender (i.e. the officers involved) or the victims; families left behind? In my ‘day’ job, I’ve had to console families that had a loved one die by the actions of police officers in the performance of their duties.

Let’s give some clear points from the recent incidents and the actions and attitudes that have lead up to them. Gospel artist LeCrae, has pointed out some very important facts as relating to being a young black man in America. The fact that racism still exist, can't be ignored. I, as a white man, can’t know what that experience is like. Immanuel Marsh, in equippingcenter.org, writes about the Biblical facts about race, racial issues and what is the Bible’s answer to them. Read it here. I also know that young black men die from other blacks at an alarming rate, and violence, especially in inter-city, is rampant and a way of life. Inevitable, these facts will collide in incidents like Ferguson and New York, and we are left asking the questions, how, why, and what next?

I will not rehash the tired old arguments, which have been expressed in other BLOGs, articles and talking-head programs. People with reasonable attitudes and honest assessments will disagree about the findings of the grand juries and the issues that lead to the incidents in the first place. I’ll disagree, and have, with many on the left or right and the black or white response. But, it is fascinating to realize that there is no, black, white, right, left, he said, she said, or whatever response, because our own prejudices will dictate our agreement or disagreement with the particular arguments, thus leaving our own opinions, just that, an OPINION.

So how do we respond? I mean as a Christian, we are to help, minster, that’s what we are to do. Being our brother’s keeper is something from Cain and Able’s day that we can’t run from. If you are called upon to help a family whose son dies at the hands of authorities, what are you to do? May I suggest, you have no responsibility in interpreting the data. By that I mean, you can’t know men’s hearts, you don’t know the victims intentions or the offending parties, for that matter. In dealing with families in similar circumstances, I acknowledged their loved one’s value to them. A son, is a son, to the mother holding his bloodied clothes or not. She must be ministered to in her relationship, in what it meant to her. I’ve ministered in funerals as the preacher and funeral director, when the death occurred in prison. The circumstances didn’t change that families’ feelings of love they had for them. And in reality, the circumstances of the life, may have brought them to where God truly could get to them. Hope is the need, where there is no hope, there is no…HOPE.

What about ministering to the offender. An officer, for example, has taken the life of some young (or old) person. Their actions may have been justified or not. That seems to be the issue in Ferguson and New York, was the actions used, justified. Ministering to this family (or just the individual) requires no need for you to understand that. Your moment of ministry is to the needs of the person before you. In these situations, often the officer is devastated by his actions (justified or not). It is a huge weight to know a life was extinguished by your own hand. If an individual feels the deed was miniscule or of no great importance, is in need of great prayer and help, and that’s a greater challenge. But, the vast majority of these situations involve a dad, husband and/or someone’s son and the victim is now forever tattooed, on their soul, the life that was stopped. Our response is one of grace, God’s grace is sufficient for ever need. Grace can carry someone to a better place than they have been placed in.

The gist of the matter is ministry. Ministry can be messy. You may have to deal with death, murder, incest, adultery, hatred, and any number of abominations that God numbers. Ministry is not just pastors, elders and deacons. You may find your next door neighbor in these circumstances and God has placed you there to be His voice. Will you be a voice of hope, grace and comfort? Or will you choose to take sides…ignoring hearts that are broken, lives that are shattered and moments of ministry that life and the Lord has put you in.

GOD BLESS

Tony

#racism #violence #minstry #ferguson #newyork