For just a moment, put aside your politics. For just a moment, open your mind to ideas that may not align with the views you have inherited or grown on your own over your lifetime. For just a moment, free yourself from the predisposed point of view. For just a moment, put aside your anger.
Now imagine that you and your family are not free to make your own decisions, not free to go where you want, not free to say what you want. Imagine that you are forced to do work that benefits you in absolutely no way, no enjoyment and certainly no pay. Imagine that you are beaten at the discretion of someone else, with no form of justice or recourse. Imagine simply being bought and sold by other human beings. Imagine being treated like less than human simply because of where you were born and/or the color of your skin.
Most of us can even fathom the absolute suffocation of this situation.
While our Country has a rich history of progress and prosperity, we also have some really dark spots. Today is Juneteenth. Today should be celebrated as a day that our Country admitted and started to rectify a human rights violation that was wrong in so many ways and for so many years. This year, today holds extra significance because of the civil unrest and pain suffered my millions in the wake of countless injustices against Americans, or better yet against humans in America.
Regardless of your political views, or your upbringing, or your ethnic background – I hope we can agree that no human being should be treated as inferior. That no human being should be forced to live in fear of the government or organizations that were created to protect and serve them. That no human being should be forced to defend or accept the poor behavior of evil. If we can agree on this, we can carry forward with change.
Change doesn’t happen if we stop talking about it after the outrage has settled.
Change doesn’t happen if we stop talking because something else caught the headlines.
Change doesn’t happen if we stop talking because we are uncomfortable.
Change doesn’t happen if we stop talking because we disagree.
Change doesn’t happen if we stop talking.
Even as we act on change, we cannot stop talking. Ignoring a problem and living in angry silence is how division and separation grow.
If the idea of celebrating Juneteenth makes you angry. If the idea of peaceful protests make you angry. If you believe there isn’t a problem in our Country with social injustice. Or if you have hate in your heart for any reason. I want you to know that I have been praying for you. Also, I challenge you to admit it as a problem in your life. I challenge you to look for a way to replace the hate in your heart with Love. And I believe there is only one way to do that; invite the Creator of everything, the One who IS Love, Jesus Christ, into your life. But it doesn’t stop there. You have to follow Him and obey Him. If you want help with this transformation, I am here.
We will not always agree on everything. And that is okay. But if we can agree on basic human rights, we can right many many wrongs. And if we can continue talking we can accomplish real and meaningful change.
We can do better. We can do better together.
Love God, Love others.
Dadvotionals 