Four
young Black Men killed by police officers, 5 police officers killed, and at
least two innocent bystanders and demands for justice from all sides. In each
case there are already accusations that it was about racism, political leaders
have made up their minds and are calling for various outcomes. Some will demand
the prosecution of police officers that are involved; others will demand stricter
gun control. Some will hide their head
in the sand. Across America this same week dozen of people died as a result of
violent acts of individuals. Some of it is was self-defense, other was
premeditated murder. Regardless of the outcome individuals are dead.
Before
preachers, social activists, and politician, and the guy of the street starts
re-acting and saying things that could incite others to make unhealthy choices
we need to STOP and ACT, I believe that
there are three things we can and must do using the Acrostic of ACTS.
1. Ask Question …
We will only find the facts when we ask questions, as a Alcohol and Drug
counselor I teach my patients there are three sides to every story, your side that
you believe is true based on your facts or perception of the event; the others
person beliefs based on their perception or facts of the event; and then there
is the TRUTH based on a clear overview of the events from a discussion and
observation of what happen.
a. What
happen?
b. Why
did you do what you did?
c. What
did the other person do?
d. What
did you see?
e. What
do all the videos that are available show?
f. What
do the other witnesses say?
2. Challenge …
I have to challenge my thinking, realizing that my pre-determined assumptions
of the events may not be accurate. I
remember listening to friends in the past when there was officer involved
shootings, the assumption from the minute the news broke was that the officer
did something wrong. No investigation,
no facts, no questions, just an assumption. However, let’s be clear there are
those on the other side of the fence as well, the assumption that the person
being shot did something to deserve it.
Growing up I was taught by my father, a retired Air Force Sargent, don’t
assume anything. “When you assume, you
make an Ass-of-u-and me”
It is time we lose the
assumptions, and time we rely on the facts.
3. Talking it out … Several
months ago I heard a prosecutor in a case belittle and criticize an officer
involved in a shooting of an unarmed black man. Over the years I have had the
upmost respect for that particular prosecutor, around where I live. However,
that day it went out the window. He watched a video, and has assumed he had as
all the answers. He didn’t allow the investigation, he didn’t hear the facts, and
he assumed he had all the answer.
How are we going to stop
the stereotyping of black men as being criminals and police officers being
corrupt and trigger happy. That every white person that disagrees with the
African American community is racist, I’m going to step on a limb here. It is time for the Pastors and other
religious leaders of America to quit acting like selfish self-center brats,
promoting a personal agenda that is destructive, and step up and be the man of
God, you have been called to be. Sunday
morning at 11:00 remains the most segregated time in America, I realize that
some communities this is due to the population being overwhelming one group of
people. However, have you ever sat down in your community and talked with the
other pastors, or are you assuming you know what he thinks.
When the church as a
whole steps out of the business of condoning sin; including the sin of racism,
only then will we see the heart of America change. When pastors, preach the
love of Christ for all mankind then America will have a chance to change the
course of our current history. Some
would argue this isn’t a pastors or church issue, and I would argue that
clearly it is as throughout history the church has been the moral compass of the
nation, how the church goes the nation goes.
There is an old
children’s’ song “Red, and yellow, black and white they are all precious in HIS
sight” … WE NEED TO STOP THE HATE, ANGER,
AND VIEW HOW PRECIOUS WE ARE FROM GOD’S LOVE.
