Trust

Imagine being one of the disciples during the time Jesus was here. During the time he did his teachings and miracles, and witnessing all of it first hand. Take those stories and put them into your reality today. Picture a man, meek but strong, full of love and that is your friend. Someone who knows everything about you, about everyone. He knows every sorrow, every joy, every secret and still looks you in the face and says he loves you and you don’t need to fight or worry anymore. Then imagine him being brutally killed, the worst of the worst and feeling helpless in stopping it because he told you it needed to happen. So you just stand there watching the stones being thrown, the heavy cross on his back, the people spitting and mocking him as if the image in front of them wasn’t enough. Then you put your focus on him and you see his face and he makes eye contact with you and says its ok, I’ve got this and you feel oddly comforted but still sorrowful. The comfort comes from an understanding that you don’t even know how you got it but that something is happening that’s so big, so much bigger than you, than everyone around you. Its even bigger than all the kings and rulers or those that are put in authority for years to come. Then you have a moment of gratitude that you got to be there, you got to be a witness to the truth and now, it’s your responsibility to share it. Not just out of obedience, but out of your heart, out of love for people who still choose to carry so much and don’t need to. To want people to feel the love and the relationship you had with him because of the peace, clarity and purpose it brought to your life. You share his stories and you follow his example but there are those who still just don’t get it.

I struggle with the idea of this almost daily. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price. Jesus came here out of his love for us to show us how to live, died for us and people still aren’t following his instruction.
In 2000 years its almost disappointing how little we have evolved. We are still trying to handle problems our way by protesting in streets, killing, destroying, looting and trying to handle situations with weapons. Evolving is not demonstrated by removing statues to erase what happened in the past. I want to make it clear that I am not advocating for these statues to remain or be removed but simply stating we are seeking solutions that will give no resolve. If we continue to choose a life in a way that is apart from the guidance of God, then we will continue to be faced with the same obstacles…just in a new setting.
Zechariah 10: 2 for the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

We keep looking for someone to come lead us, save us from ourselves, save this situation we are in. Well…we have a leader. Jesus is our shepherd. Maybe his way seems too simple or the ‘want it now’ trait takes over but in the waiting, your heart changes, others hearts change and it’s a win, win. That’s what the real issue is, its our hearts.

The removal needs to be from our hearts. Remove the hate, the anger and replace with kindness, forgiveness, respect and love. If a statue or the color of a persons skin stirs up an issue in your heart, then by removing them is not going to fix that. Even seeing that person hurt or receiving what we call justice these days, isn’t going to erase or nullify the situation. The truth is, until you are at a place of peace and no outside stimulus can stir up bad emotions, you are always going to have an issue.

So lets work on keeping it simple. Lets start putting more value in doing small acts of kindness as seeds of faith and handing the growth over to God. Quit trying to take matters into our own hands, and praise God for what he can and will do. He told us, vengeance is his. So lets work on trusting him.
Romans 12:17-19
Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as in you leith, be at peace with all men. Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.