My friends,
Where do I even begin? How do we put the pieces of the world back together when you find that they never really were together? How do we fix our society when you learn that it has always been broken? How do we begin the healing when so many are hurting deeply on all sides and some have always been hurting?
Recently, many of our eyes were opened to the despair of our fellow man. I am hurting for those in the black community. I am hurting for all the minority communities. I am hurting for those in the white community. I am hurting for this broken world. I am hurting as I see how broken everything truly is.
I am in pain, convicted of NOT being part of the solution even though I thought I was… I am in pain, learning that I have been part of the problem, silently turning my head when I saw racism. For that, I am convicted and cry for forgiveness, to God and my fellow man.
I have not often used my blog as a place to speak of my faith but here I find that I must stand and announce that Jesus died for all and I have not truly heard the cry of His people, ALL of His people.
I have felt the stab of being part of the crowd and want to share 3 different examples from the Bible of Jesus’s crucifixion that have recently convicted me.
When Jesus was sentenced to die on the cross, the Jews were shouting to crucify him. I wonder if there were some in the crowd that silently shook their heads as they watched this injustice… I am complicit. Forgive me.
Even Pontius Pilate asked if the crowd was sure because he did not feel it was right… and yet he still allowed it to happen. Oh, how I have stood by. Forgive me.
When Peter was asked three times if he was with Jesus, he denied him every time. How I have allowed those around me to speak horrible things and yet stayed silent because it was more comfortable and provided me safety. Please, forgive me.
Forgive me…
My friends, I see your pain and I will no longer silently sit on the sidelines. I will join you in the fight. Change always starts with the self. And it starts with me. It starts with you. It starts with communion and love for one another.
My friends, I will dig deep. I will get uncomfortable. I will shine light on my own sin. Will you do this with me? Will you pledge to speak when I say the wrong thing? Will you lovingly rebuke me when I do not understand? Will you help me see the plank in my eye when I point to your speck?
I will stand with you, my friends. Will you stand with me?
Humbly on my knees,
Denise
Technically Denise 