Like many of you, I’ve been watching, praying, thinking and talking with friends about the racial situation in our country. I honestly don’t know what to add to the conversation and I don’t feel qualified to speak. However, I appreciate and agree with this statement published a few days ago by Cru (my employer). Hopefully it’s thought provoking and helpful for you as well:

In Response to the Death of George Floyd

We are deeply grieved by the killing of George Floyd. His death reflects an indifference to humanity and ignores the inherent dignity of the Creator in each of us. This, and the succeeding protests that have flowed from the pain of injustice, serve as a national reminder that the sin of racism continues to mar human relationships and society as a whole.

We believe every human being is made in the image of God and we affirm the God-given worth, dignity and equality of men and women from every tribe, language, people and nation. As followers of Jesus we are instructed to pursue righteousness and justice, personally and throughout our culture. The Bible calls us to love one another (Matthew 22:39), bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and to consider not only our needs but the needs of others (Philippians 2:4). We are commanded to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).

As followers of Jesus Christ and undeserving recipients of His grace, we acknowledge the brokenness of how we have related to one another. This reveals itself in how individuals and groups are treated based on the color of their skin. This is counter to the heart of God who creates each individual in His image, with infinite value. We also own that over the years, Christ followers, including ourselves, have turned a blind eye and failed to speak up. Often, we have not taken the time to listen, learn and lament. In the power of the Holy Spirit we are committed to seek change in our own lives.

In this time of anguish and turmoil it is only the love of God that can reshape both heart and character. Each of us is created by God for a relationship with Him. Jesus Christ alone is our hope. His unconditional love offers the opportunity for a restored relationship, by faith, through His death and resurrection. This is our message to the world as we proclaim and live out the love of Jesus.

https://www.cru.org/us/en/about/response-death-george-floyd.html

Visions form in my head every time I drive by. On the way to the post office I pass my favorite restaurant, closed during this corona crisis. A Mexican place, they cook up the best refried beans. I eat them in some fashion every time I go. Those beans appear in my daydreams, along with green chiles and a host of other delicacies.

These are days of fasting, forced upon us. All of us are missing parts of our lives we enjoy and I admit, take for granted. For me, no March Madness, no Cardinal baseball, no travel (trips cancelled to Vietnam, to Oklahoma City to see our kids, and to El Salvador), no movie theaters, no refried beans.

With the losses come surprises. Tons more open time. Time to think. Time to read. Time to pray. Time to listen to what God might be saying. Time to listen to what my wife might be saying.

I find myself walking throughout the day. Several times a day, often for a few minutes, other times an hour or so. I’m working from home, so I leave out my front door. My job is secure at this point, and I’m grateful. I’m worried for friends and neighbors whose finances are precarious due to shutdowns and layoffs.

In Hebrews 11 Paul introduces us to a great cloud of witnesses, who lived, and died, with faith in the Lord. At one point Paul writes that they “were made strong out of weakness.” Today we face weakness. Forced apart, no cure but time and social distancing, fear inching closer, we understand we are weak. Which is actually a good place with the Lord.

Believers throughout history faced plagues with faith in God and a commitment to care for their neighbors. Ordinary men and women, they felt weak, helpless, and afraid of death. Still, they quietly helped others, and neighbors noticed how these godly people practiced and lived their faith. We live in a similar time, and I hope to help others in a similar way. We’ll see how it goes. No matter what, a great cloud of witnesses cheers us on.

And when this time ends, I’ll celebrate with a plate full of beans.