Women’s Ministry Minute
June 1, 2020
With Emily Brown
As I look upon the past week’s events, I find myself getting angry, confused and very upset. I am usually a very conservative, police supporting black woman. I believe that sometimes the person held by police should have just complied with them just to get the bad situation over with and have the lawyers come in to resolve the situation.
On Monday, in Minnesota an grave injustice happened. As I heard about this story, my mind immediately went to what happened to get to this point? A man was kneeling on another’s neck. Why? Was George Floyd that non-compliant that he felt that was necessary? What happened from the time he was taken across the street to where he was on the ground with another person saying “you can’t win, just get in the car” and then George replying he would. Why? Was the policeman that fearful for his life that he wouldn’t let George off the ground and placing him in the vehicle? As the realization came on me the other night as I was re-watching, feelings of anger, disgust and the need for justice for George arose.
Protests arose. I believe that everyone has a right to peacefully protest the government. Then the peaceful protest lead into rioting – probably not by the people who wanted to peacefully protest. It saddened me. Watching as livelihoods were destroyed, stores were being looted, police cars being destroyed, items being stolen and the original purpose of the protest lost amongst the happenings of several people. Something good (protesting an injustice) turned violent. Why?
How can we protect our hearts during this time? We should be able to feel, feel disgust at sin. Even Jesus in John 2 drove out the money changers for the holiness of God’s house. But how do we get to the place where we can forgive? Forgive the injustice? Forgive those who destroyed my business? To forgive the person who placed excessive force that caused the death of a man who may have been guilty of something, but he didn’t deserve to be treated cruelly and with deadly force.
How do I reserve judgement until all the facts come out to be able to process this? One word – grace. I can’t say I’ve ever killed someone physically, but I am sure that my actions have hurt someone so deeply that they feel that can’t be close to me again. The realization of that pain hits every time I remember a relationship “lost” because of my “killing” them.
I learned Sunday that forgiveness is not FORGETTING what happened, but making a decision to give grace. The word “forgive” in greek is aphiemi which means to send away. While I sometimes do NOT want to send away the anger and the hurt, I must, to truly forgive decide to not hold it against the other person and if I was the offender, I must learn that forgiveness takes time and I MUST be patient and realize that sometimes the relationship may never come back or forgiveness may never come. These are hard lessons, especially this week. The anger at the injustice still stays for everything that happened. Emotions are still raw, wounds are still opened. In time, I hope that healing will come, that changes will be made and that we can share the love and the power of forgiveness that God gives.
When we feel the anger rising, please remember to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph 4:32. It won’t happen overnight – it will take time and Satan will bring it back to you. However, keep praying and ask God to help you to give grace – eventually forgiveness will heal. Just keep taking one step and then another and another. It won’t be easy and it won’t be quick (like I like it) but if we allow God to give the healing, it will be good and right.