The juxtaposition of the racist violence in Jacksonville this past weekend and the call to overcome racial animus sixty years ago yesterday must make us ask: How do we heal the soul of a Nation? Although much has changed over the past 60 years, much has not. People still fear and hate people they do not even know because of skin color, religion, ethnicity, and, yes, politics.
None of us is immune from judging others based on some characteristic or other. The question for us is how we can move beyond prejudging others based solely on those characteristics. It’s certainly not easy but if we are to survive as a society, we must.
Healing from prejudging others takes work, hard work. Although there is a place for anger, even righteous anger, we cannot let it take over our lives. Jesus certainly got angry – look how he overturned the tables of the moneychangers, but he also worked towards healing, not just physical healing, but healing us into becoming better human beings, which is the real miracle.
Prayer for the Day
Bringing our long standing misgivings about ourselves,
We isolate ourselves from others when we need reconciliation;
Knowing how we have failed to live up to our own expectations,
Our thoughts, words, and deeds become barriers to others.
Enable us to look honestly at ourselves, experience your healing power
So we may repair and heal damaged relationships.
We ask this in the name of the One who is you healing power,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
You can’t divide the country up into sections and have one rule for one section and one rule for another, and you can’t encourage people’s prejudices. You have to appeal to people’s best instincts, not their worst ones. You may win an election or so by doing the other, but it does a lot of harm to the country.
- Harry S. Truman, President (1884-1972)
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
- Eleanor Roosevelt, humanitarian (1880-1962)
I will sing of loyalty and of justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing.
I will study the way that is blameless. When shall I attain it?
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
I will not set before my eyes anything that is base.
Psalm 101: 1-2x