Zimmerman Found Not-Guilty/The Church Found GUILTY
Many writers write every single day. Some write three or four or five days a week according to schedule.
I write when I have to write.
Today I find myself in that particular mode. I am writing because I must.
After Saturday's verdict in the George Zimmerman murder trial, a verdict of not-guilty, I remained quiet and reflective.
My emotions: sadness, disappointment, confusion.
And yet, my words were few, except for re-posting an old blog post about the case.
But that wasn't the case in the social media world around me. On Twitter and Facebook, I read comment after comment from my friends, family members and acquaintances concerning the trial.
Some expressed fear for their own sons. Some shared their disillusionment over the US legal system. Many expressed their infuriation.
And yet a noticed a strange paradox.
For the most part, my friends that expressed their emotions, encouraged prayer for the Martin family and/or reminded others to trust in God -- the Ultimate Judge in any trial -- happened to be African American.
On the other hand, the majority of my non-African American friends were eerily silent.
I could almost hear crickets chirping out there in cyberspace.
Today, my feelings have grown beyond this particular case to include my disappointment over the stark polarization of our country.
Yes folks, we still live in a black-and-white country. Even in the Body of Christ.
In the Church, we fail to rejoice when our brothers and sisters of different races rejoice.
We fail to mourn when they mourn.
We fail to even give a darn.
And yet, we say we have the same Father.
We say we belong to the same family of God.
We say there's no difference between us, deep down on the inside of us, way below our skin.
I say, can be begin to live this way?
Can we put aside our political affiliations, our educational backgrounds, our personal preferences (e.g. our favorite worship music) and even our races, to see life through lenses different than our own?
I say, if we truly have the very Spirit of the Living God inside us -- sure we can!
Brothers and Sisters of every hue, race and culture -- let's start today.
Love,
Carla
I write when I have to write.
Today I find myself in that particular mode. I am writing because I must.
After Saturday's verdict in the George Zimmerman murder trial, a verdict of not-guilty, I remained quiet and reflective.
My emotions: sadness, disappointment, confusion.
And yet, my words were few, except for re-posting an old blog post about the case.
But that wasn't the case in the social media world around me. On Twitter and Facebook, I read comment after comment from my friends, family members and acquaintances concerning the trial.
Some expressed fear for their own sons. Some shared their disillusionment over the US legal system. Many expressed their infuriation.
And yet a noticed a strange paradox.
For the most part, my friends that expressed their emotions, encouraged prayer for the Martin family and/or reminded others to trust in God -- the Ultimate Judge in any trial -- happened to be African American.
On the other hand, the majority of my non-African American friends were eerily silent.
I could almost hear crickets chirping out there in cyberspace.
Today, my feelings have grown beyond this particular case to include my disappointment over the stark polarization of our country.
Yes folks, we still live in a black-and-white country. Even in the Body of Christ.
In the Church, we fail to rejoice when our brothers and sisters of different races rejoice.
We fail to mourn when they mourn.
We fail to even give a darn.
And yet, we say we have the same Father.
We say we belong to the same family of God.
We say there's no difference between us, deep down on the inside of us, way below our skin.
I say, can be begin to live this way?
Can we put aside our political affiliations, our educational backgrounds, our personal preferences (e.g. our favorite worship music) and even our races, to see life through lenses different than our own?
I say, if we truly have the very Spirit of the Living God inside us -- sure we can!
Brothers and Sisters of every hue, race and culture -- let's start today.
Love,
Carla
Carla, Thanks for posting and for the photo. I have been in kind of a stunned silence myself. The thought that that is the leg of a child, of someone's child, makes me ill. The thought that it could be my child makes me frightened. What it is like thinking that it happening to my child is a real possibility is unfathomable to me.
ReplyDeleteTraci, thanks for your comment. This photo gave me chills when I saw it. This tragedy had me thinking the same thing - this could be my baby boys. I will continue to pray for everyone involved - on both sides.
DeleteYou are so right!!! I couldn't believe that I was the only one seeing that! The SILENCE from the other branch of the Family of God was and still is DEAFENING!!! When this kind of unprecedented reaction comes about, surely God is challenging us to address what cannot be denied!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Melissa! I have had a few close Caucasian friends that have discussed this with me - especially those with African American children (through adoption). But you're right - there is largely silence. I pray for a more balanced response when the next polarizing national event takes place.
ReplyDeleteSo well put. I can count my Caucasian friends on one hand and of those few, never a conversation about race relations, the double standards. We need to have tough conversations about the differences, real differences - not just hair, music, etc. but how we teach our sons how to react when stopped by police, how we get followed in stores, work place differences. Only then will we start the change in polarization. Curious to see with the next trial - Jordan Davis, who was shot by a Caucasian man after an argument about his loud music.
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura (Life Interrupted by Scrapbooking) for your response. I hope this trial will be a learning experience for all of us - regardless of our race - to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. We must have difficult discussions like this or nothing will change. They will be painful, but they are necessary. The truth in LOVE... I hope I've accomplished that on some level. Blessings to you, Sis.
DeleteHey Mrs. Clara. This is Tam, I was too lazy to sign into google to comment :-) I didn't know how to feel at church when this kind of brushed under the table on sunday morning. The comment was made that in a diverse church we were at peace with each other while our nation was divided that morning. At our church we kind of just exist together, but don't mesh like I would like us to, it's very formal there. But no more than that was said and it made me feel worse because it then made me question was I upset for any reason at all. My church is mostly Caucasian and I know people on both sides protested but never once in church I felt like I may get some peace or healing from this situation and even now looking at people's statuses I feel hate like this wasn't important from A.A. when A.A. kill other A.A all the time. But thanks for posting I love my brothers and sisters, but I've been feeling this in real life just got on the internet today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Tam. I am blessed to also have a diverse church body, and praise God, the pastor (my hubby) did mention the Trayvon Martin case and verdict in his sermon. But I am learning, as you are, that none of us gets it right all the time. Sometimes we just don't see things from our brother and sister's perspectives. I'm sure I'm guilty at times too. So let's just keep loving, keep extending grace, but when we do have an opportunity to lovingly share our perspective - do so. I pray that your church will grow closer together, and begin to really "do life" together, rather than just "doing church" together. Bless you, Sister...
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