A response to Charleston

I have not said much about the Charleston murders. There are plenty of folk who have but, truly, words can never say enough. Sometimes we need to sit deep in the ache of the heart of God. Just sit, not say. Perhaps cry, even scream our frustration, sadness and anger.

But when we do say, we need to guard our words. When we act we need to let the Holy Spirit fill our actions. There is no black or white in God, no male or female, no Jew or Greek, yet we have, over the centuries,  time and time again systematically subjugated and injured each other based on race, gender and religion.

Brothers and sisters in synagogue, mosque and temple will join in the condemnation of this heinous act. The dead will be prayed for in churches, regardless of the color of those in the pews. This is worth pondering. We all face the same directon and that is towards the table of the Lord from whom all good things come.

This act is not of God and we need to look deep inside ourselves for the truth of God's work and God's  ways and this might involve giving up a few things and challenging others. Racism is not OK ever. Neither is hatred based on religion  or discrimination based on age, gender or health.

But the big one is that sometimes things which are my right have to be guarded in unpredictable ways. The ideal of free speech might protect my expression of myself, but speech is not truly free when it subjugates another. My right to bear arms might be inalienable but it was put  in place to defend our families  not to imprison our communities.

What can you do? Pray for those who died and their families. Pray for those who perpetrate such crimes and for those who breed hatred. Challenge all forms of oppression as you confront them. Speak clearly for freedom and justice. Most of all look towards God and truly see yourself in that light. When brothers and sisters in Christ are separated like we are there is something very wrong. Inalienable and alienated cannot become synonymous and we must fight to protect rights, but rights which are best for everyone. We must always maintain God's eternal perspective that life is precious and we are one small part of a living and breathing whole.