This has been weighing on me. Like the rest of the thinking world, I am appalled at the murder of George Floyd. I did not watch the video as I was so sickened by the picture of what I perceive as an arrogant man, with his hands in his pockets no less, slowly snuffing out the life of another human as he is being begged for mercy. If we aren't appalled by this and by his fellow officers who stood by and watched, then we are something less than human.
But, here's what scares me. I scare me. The vision in my head of someone doing the exact same thing to the police officer that he did to Mr. Floyd scares me. Where is Jesus in my response? Do not misunderstand, I know that policeman and his cohorts need to be held accountable and punished. But, here I am, self-proclaimed Jesus lover, relishing in the thought of another person "getting his." That scares me. That is a testimony to the state of my heart, and it is apparent that I need a lot more Jesus.
The looting and burning that is taking place in Minneapolis is so far from what Dr. King exhibited and taught. I think of those dignified and determined black students who led the sit-ins in Nashville and I am overwhelmed with their courage. As one author said, "they dressed for church and often ended up in jail." I think of Reverend James Lawson who urged those students to respond to attacks in a "creatively loving fashion." He said it was not enough to act like they loved their enemy, they had to, in their hearts, truly love their enemy. It took awhile, but it worked, and much for which they were working was accomplished. But, somehow we have lost our way in this country. We are headed in the wrong direction.
So, yes, the looting and burning are dumb and counterproductive, but when people get fed up with what is happening, they do dumb things, and often bring down a world of hurt on themselves and those around them. We have all done it. Maybe we haven't burned and looted a Target store, but we've thrown or kicked something, or slammed a door or cursed or thrown mean and hurtful barbs or driven too fast or any number of dumb things that are ultimately counterproductive. When we've had enough, we don't think straight. There is science behind the term "losing your mind."
In Nashville, Zephaniah Alexander Looby was a black man who was expected to be deferential but who stood up for human rights in all arenas. He provided legal counsel for those who tried to end segregation in the city, especially those college students who led the sit-ins. When a group of racist whites bombed his home with him and his wife, Grafta, barely escaping, that bit of violence had unintended results. People of all colors were outraged. After that bombing the mayor of Nashville, Ben West, who previously swore that Nashville would never be integrated, admitted that segregation was morally wrong. Police killing, as this officer murdered George Floyd, is evil. I need to be, and am outraged by it but, my challenge is to find it within myself to love him...not his evil deed but him.
So what is to be done? The first thing I need to do is look into my own heart and root out all the dark and vengeful thoughts I harbor there. And, then, I need to ask myself, a paraphrased version of John Lewis's query to those who said he and he fellow students were not ready for the sit-ins: if not me, then who? If not now, then when? God have mercy on the souls of those who committed this murder by action or inaction, but, their souls are nor more in the need of God's grace than is mine. I pray peace and an ever-awareness of God's presence for the Floyd family, and the families of all those who have not been given proper treatment and due process because of the color of their skin.
