Category: Justice

In recent days there has been a significant movement of people crying out in protest and demanding justice for George Floyd, who was restrained by a police officer with enough force to result in George’s death. Along with the out-cry, there has been looting and rioting, portrayed under the umbrella of this protest. In what universe is this type of protest  (rioting and looting) useful for the protest?

Should anything be off-limits to our national discussion? Lets discuss it using civility and reason. Two words come to mind that provide my boundaries in this circumstance: Advocacy and Accountability.  Accountability means the condition of being responsible. Advocacy has several defining parts which include: clear purpose. safety, confidentiality, diversity, and empowerment. We should all hold to these two standards whn responding to a protest. Anything outside these terms the discussion should be off-limits.

“Don’t let the Media fool you! The majority of Americans support the police. Do not support the destroying of their city. The biggest problem with growing up black in America… IS NOT racism, police brutality, or black on black crime… It’s the Mental Brainwashing.”

Justice will Happen

Justice can and will come for the officers who handled George.  Justice by way of protestations will result in changes, for the better. However, justice through looting and rioting is a concept that makes no sense. In no uncertain terms,  this  violent ‘movement’  is the manufactured  product that comes through the support of a left leaning media. People are hurt financially and/or physically when rioting and looting happen! When we weakly define this behavior simply as  ‘protestations’,  we  will NEVER see positive change resulting from the looters and rioters.  If we want change, violence and looting should stay off-limits!

A few days ago, President Trump made a statement which fits well into my concept of Accountability and Advocacy. He said “America is founded on the rule of law. It is the foundation of our prosperity, our freedom, our very way of life. Where there is no law, there is no opportunity. Where there is no justice, there is no liberty. Where there is no safety, there is no future. We must never give in to anger or hatred. If malice or violence reigns, then none of us are free.”

As he said, “No justice”  means  “no liberty”. As an example, we have the liberty to travel around these United States. On our journey, we may go over some very steep and dangerous mountains.  On dangerous roads, we will only feel safe with a guard rail to keep us from plunging to our death. Having limits establishes what is good and what is too far.

‘No safety’ may be an  exciting concept to daredevils, but it can also mean our demise. Freedom comes with guard rails. If we exceed the parameters of the road we are traveling, things can be bad. The presence of restraining parameters provides good and reasonable advice.

Safety in God’s Word

Can we see similar advice in the Bible? Zechariah 7:8-10 says “⁸ And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: ⁹ “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’” The concept of justice is significant in the Bible, with about 130 references translated as ‘justice.’   God and man recognize the need for justice. We are fortunate to have a God with compassion. God wants the best for us, and He proactively takes steps to draw us closer to Him. We never want to be in territory that God says is off-limits — territory that moves us away from justice and a deeper relationship with God.

Let’s also talk about Accountability and Advocacy.  What can we do to be accountable/responsible citizens?

Accountability

1. 1. Accountability is first and foremost something we give to God. “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God”  Romans 3:19. God sees and knows us. We have an obligation to listen to God’s command.
   2. Leadership has a major role in our accountability. God directs leaders. God provides an expectation that leaders will lead us on the right path of accountability. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.” (Ezekiel 34:10)
      

Advocacy

1. 1. Our role in providing Advocacy for protests has scriptural support.
      • Clear purpose.  Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” God helps us with clear directions to fulfill His purpose.
        
      • Safety.  In Isaiah 61 1-3, It says “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives  and release from darkness for the prisoners”  [Safety!] …  and verse 8: “ For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing.” God’s will is for us during difficulties is to be enshrouded with safety and not be prone towards hurtful wrongdoing.
      • Confidentiality. Wisdom with understanding is a major part of confidentiality. We need to wise enough to hold things in confidence, and occasionally, understand the need to keep things close to our heart. Proverbs 2:9-11 says ‘Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. ¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. ¹¹ Discretion will protect you,and understanding will guard you. ‘
      • Diversity. Ephesians 12: ” ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”   and Ephesians 24b-26  “But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
      • Empowerment.  Empowerment is not about being a bully or ‘muscling’ your way through something. It is the concept of confidently doing what you need to do without requiring ‘permission’ from someone in a higher position.  Those who are wiling to follow God and trust in His ways are empowered. Psalm 147:10-11  says ¹⁰ His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; ¹¹ the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

I feel different waves of emotion as I read through what I have been writing. Truth is a description with inevitable conclusions. We all mourn the loss of life of George Floyd. 

Truth is also a process for some. I feel troubled that there are people in the world who do not seek the good of their fellow man, but rather seek their own self-fulfilling justice — a form of truth which is off-limits to any humanity that follows God.

Lord, help us to perceive the truth of “The Best News Ever”.  At least that fight has already been won.

[Post script note: President Trump's speech (which included the quote above) was book-ended with words of remembrance: For George Floyd at the beginning. Then, he concluded with these words: "Thank you very much. Now I am going to pay my respects to a very special place."  With those words he walked over to the episcopal church next to the White House, and held up a bible.  It was a remembrance lost on un-Godly people.  The mainstream media said he was 'staging a photo op', yet they had ignored his closing words. He did not need words in front of the church.  A 'silent remembrance' with words would have detracted from giving respect to a special place. It was respect to the Church and a "In your face" response to rioters that burn churches-- the ones who prefer Absurd Truth.]