Pain and mistreatment are commonplace
Pain and suffering have become so prevalent in our culture that it often gets overlooked. If we turn on the news every day, we hear of the brokenness of this world that we live in. We hear of the mistreatment of others daily. We watch people hurt and devalue even people they claim to love. We have gotten quite desensitized to the pain that other people may be feeling and experiencing.
Unfortunately, unless it hits our home or our community, we pass by it very quickly. Perhaps we remember the grieving at the moment, but as the weeks pass by, they slip from our minds. But for those that are suffering, the grief continues to gnaw away at them. They can find themselves re-triggered, and the pain resurfaces when they hear of someone else that has had to deal with similar pain. Perhaps you have experienced the same thing.
When it is not our pain, some people tend to minimize the suffering of others and seem to have a somewhat insensitive response. They believe that people should “just get over it.” They do not understand why the oppressed and offended are “making such a big deal of it.”
Let’s be honest, haven’t you ever felt that way? I know I have been tempted to think such thought. Lord, please forgive me!
The killing of unarmed people
In recent months, we have learned of the killings of three unarmed people of color (Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd). While we do not know all of the facts of these cases, and as a result, we should reserve judgment until all of those facts have been revealed. However, there has been a disturbing trend of how some people in this society have treated people of color.
We have watched the video of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. It is hard for some to imagine that this kind of behavior occurs today. For others, it is not hard to imagine at all. For some, as they watched it, they were not moved at all. For others, as they watched it, they were moved with powerful emotions (sadness, fear, shame, disgust, anger).
The reactions of humanity to issues like these can be quite different at times. We find that the more intense the emotions that one feels, the less rational they act. A significant problem is that so many people are entrenched in their camps, either of which can’t hear or do not want to listen to the other side.
Created dependent, dependent on counsel, and capable of being modeled
When God created us, He created us to be dependent on Him and also reliant on His counsel. Added to that, we were designed to be molded, shaped, and changed by the counsel to which we listen.
Whoever has your ear, impacts your mind. Whoever has your mind affects your heart. Whoever has your heart, affects your life. This is why Scripture is adamant that we guard our hearts and protect our minds (Proverbs 4:24).
I want to be counseled by God. I want to know what His wisdom is. I want to know what His will is. I want to know His way of dealing with these topics, like the mistreatment of others, and I want to know how we are to respond. The Bible has much to say about the value of human life and the evil of mistreating others.
I believe that we would be wise to listen to God’s counsel, so that we will be molded, shaped, and changed by it.
Our theology must be practical. But our theology must be biblical.
Created in the image of God
To identify the worth and the value of all human life, one needs to go no further than the first chapter of the first book of the Bible. In Genesis 1:27, it says that God made man and woman in His own image.
What does that mean?
The Triune God created humanity “in their image” and “after their likeness.” We are given privileges that no other creation is given; therefore, there is a value, worth, and dignity to humanity. One of the responsibilities of being created in the image of God is that we are His image-bearers, who were called to reflect and represent God in the world. Therefore, the life of every person from the womb to the grave is valuable.
Fallen and broken in sin
In Genesis chapter 3, we find that a new counselor, Satan, got the ear, mind, and heart of our fore-parents. They were encouraged to doubt the Word of God, doubt the character of God, and doubt God’s authority. They fell in sin. They disobeyed the Word of God; they chose not to believe the person of God. And instead of glorifying Him, they sought to glorify themselves.
Adam and Eve immediately experienced shame and fear. They attempted to cover their shame with external means (fig leaves). They tried to deal with their fears by running and hiding. These measures did not solve the problem. It does not work for us either.
From Scripture, we understand that the effect of the fall includes guilt, corruption, and punishment. Guilt comes from our breaking of God’s commandments (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22). Corruption comes from the continuing sinfulness of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-20; Ephesians 2:1-3). Punishment is the curse that comes upon us and all of creation as a result of Adam’s sin (Genesis 3:17,19; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:19-22).
Our great need, God’s gracious answer
How did God answer our greatest need? He did it through the person and work of His precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches us that He bore our sins, took them upon Himself, and removed them from us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says Christ was “made sin” for us so that in Christ, we are viewed as righteous in the sight of God.
Also, Christ bore the anger and wrath of God that was due to our sin. Christ turned aside from us the wrath of God on His cross (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). Christ also provided reconciliation for us. We were once enemies of God and alienated from Him. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ provided a new opportunity for fellowship and relationship with God. So how did He do this? He did this by redeeming us with His precious blood. Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came here to give His life as a ransom for many. He purchased us through with His sacrificial work on the cross.
The Gospel is an announcement. It is an announcement of what Christ did for us to be forgiven by God and set free from sin. It is a message of hope that we must believe and share.
We are commanded to treat all people well, especially the oppressed
Not only are we to be ambassadors of God in this world by sharing the good news of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:17-21), we also have the responsibility to care for God’s world (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:4-8) and especially other image-bearers. The Bible is full of statements of how we are called to treat other people. It is clear that we are called to treat those that are oppressed with a special type of care (Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 27:19; Psalm 82:3; Psalm 146:9; Isaiah 1:17; Micah 6:8; Hebrews 13; James 2).
We, as God’s people, are to advocate for the poor and needy, care for those who are being oppressed, and seek justice, love mercifully, and walk humbly.
Jesus made it His mission to pursue people
In His earthly ministry, Jesus made it His mission to pursue people who were outsiders. We see this clearly in His meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well, found in John chapter 4. He broke down walls of prejudice by pursuing her. Clearly, from her lifestyle, she was living an ungodly life. She was not living according to the principles of Scripture. Nevertheless, Christ treated her with dignity and worth. Additionally, He exposed her greatest need.
Yes, she was oppressed. Yes, she was devalued by others. But her greatest need was for someone to help her deal with her sin and to provide a way for her to have a relationship with her Heavenly Father. Only Jesus
Christ could obtain that for her.
Jesus did not allow her sinful lifestyle to deter His evangelistic work in her life. He pursued her. Jesus showed her the greatest need of her life. He told her that He could meet that need. She trusted in Him!
We are given the same mission
Amazingly enough, God has given us that same mission today. For those in Christ, He reminds us that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9).
Isn’t it interesting that He did not say races? He said for those that are in Christ, there is only one race.
Peter goes on to say that we are “a people for His own possession.” And we have been given the duty to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.” He reminds us that we were once not a people, but now we are His people. Once, we had not received mercy, but now we are the receivers of mercy (1 Peter 2:9-11). The awesome privilege of the Gospel demands that we share that good news with others.
We have been the receivers of God’s grace. We are obligated to be the dispensers and displayers of God’s grace.
The good news of the Gospel was to be spread from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). One of the fantastic benefits of the Gospel is that it can bring alienated, estranged, and hostile people together (Ephesians 2:12-13). It breaks down barriers. It removes dividing lines. It eradicates the hostilities between people. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ includes people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 5:9).
The world needs the Gospel
The world today needs the Gospel. The world today needs the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to teach and preach the Gospel. The world today needs the church of the Lord Jesus Christ displaying the mercy and grace of the Gospel.
One of those areas that we need to be displaying that mercy and grace more clearly are in how we treat those that are among the low and needy of our society. Though the church’s primary mission is to preach the Gospel. The church is also called to stand against the injustice of any kind. We make a mistake when we do one without the other. We must always help people to see that the greatest need is spiritual and eternal, not earthly and temporal. However, in light of the Gospel, we are called to help meet human needs and allow us to speak into the spiritual needs of their lives.
We need to put our theology into practice
So, how do we make this theology practical? How do we live out what we say we believe?
We need to pray
Prayer is one of the most underutilized tools in the Christian arsenal. So many people do not take the time to pray. It is insightful for us to see that the Lord Jesus Christ did almost everything after prayerful times with His Father. If the perfect God-man needed to pray, how much more do we need this blessed means of grace?
We need to pray for God’s wisdom. We need to confess our sins. We need to be petitioning God that we would be used to help meet the needs of those that are hurting. We need to pray that God would use us as gospel witnesses, in this lost and dying world.
We need to listen
All of us need to listen to those that are hurting and fearful and frustrated. Many of these feelings have been brewing underneath the surface for many years and some for many decades. It is hard for some to deal with the fact that they were not given the same opportunities and privileges solely because of their skin color. Unfortunately, that is one of the many forms of injustice pervasive in most areas of the world. People are often seen for who they are externally and not for who they are internally. That will produce a lot of frustration and pain. In defeat, many people will fight that level of control with a form of control of their own. They will fight that form of violence with violence of their own. They will fight that form of anger with anger of their own.
We need to be careful with our judgments.
Some immediately judge the motives of a person in law enforcement against a person of color as racially motivated. Others see the motives of all in law-enforcement as being entirely above reproach. Both extremes are not wise. We have to be careful not to categorize people or make broad sweeping generalizations of others.
The Bible is clear that our hearts are deceptive and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:10). As a result, we struggle with understanding the motives and intentions of our hearts. Therefore, we are warned to be careful in evaluating the motives and intentions of someone else’s heart (Matthew 7:1-5).
Unfortunately, in our culture and in this time, judgments of people’s motives and intentions are instantly made without a careful examination of the evidence. This goes against the counsel of God’s word (Proverbs 18:13; 29:20).
Proverbs 18:13, 17 says that we should listen to all sides and not jump to conclusions. Scripture tells us that we need to focus on the facts and not opinions (Proverbs 13:10; 18:15; 2 Timothy 2:23). It also tells us that we should speak only after we have had time to think critically and consider the evidence (Proverbs 13:3; 15:28; 21:23; James 1:19). We are called to speak in love and with control of our emotions (Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:15; 25-27). We are to speak without quarreling (Proverbs 17:14; 2 Timothy 2:24-25), and we are called to be gentle and gracious with one another (Proverbs 15:1; 16:21; Colossians 4:6). It tells us to bless others when we are responding to insults (Proverbs 20:22; Romans 12:14; 1 Peter 3:9). Unfortunately, many of these principles from God’s word are being overlooked today.
Without a focus on the fact that we are all image-bearers, mistreatment will continue.
Unless and until we come to a place where we realize that we are all created in the image of God and are therefore called to submit to Him, for His glory and our good, mistreatment of others will continue.
I would want us to focus on speaking to the underlying problem, providing a forum for people to communicate on such root issues, and not take sides. Some will side with the protesters. Some will side with the police officers. Some will side with the conservatives. Some will side with the liberals. These seem to be surface issues for me.
We need to keep the lines of communication open.
I am concerned that we are at risk of alienating the opposing side if we are perceived as taking one side or the other. During conflicts, I find it best to prepare well by being prayerful and Word-centered. To affirm to both sides of the potential conflict that they are valuable and of great worth, because they are created in the image of God. Also, I try to understand each side’s interests by being open-minded and willing to listen. To work together on strategies to solve the problems that are at the root of the conflict. And then to come back and evaluate those strategies and make necessary changes as we move forward.
I choose not to become political in my social media postings. I am not comfortable with postings from one politician on one side of the aisle while not offering postings from politicians on the other. I am not comfortable with hashtags, which may alienate a group of people to appease a smaller group. I want to keep the lines of communication open on both sides. If it is perceived that I am focusing on one direction versus another, or one group versus another, it may block an opportunity to have more in-depth conversations. Additionally, it may also hinder a chance to learn from those who may have a different viewpoint than my own.
Remember, the Gospel is the answer to our most significant problem
We can speak to the issues of injustice and oppression and point people to the beauty of the Gospel. I believe we can lead people to the fact that God has called people to His family from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Therefore, people of color are valuable to God. We can point people to the fact that they have value in God’s sight regardless of whether they have value in the view of humanity. We can lead people to focus on their eternal destiny. To remind them that this is not their home; they are simply sojourners.
Look to Jesus. He is our salvation and our example of how to handle mistreatment.
As we have spoken about previously, Jesus suffered and died so that those who trust in Him can be forgiven of their sins and given a family in God. Jesus also in His life provided an example of how we are to respond to our suffering as well. In 1 Peter 2:21-25, we find out that we have been called to suffer. In essence, our suffering is a divine appointment. It says that Jesus left us an example that we are to follow. We are to copy His pattern. We are to exemplify the same attitudes and behaviors in our suffering as He did. He left us a model for which we can trace our lives. Jesus, during His suffering, did not sin; there was no deceit found in His mouth; there was no reviling and no threatening (see Isaiah 53:7, 9).
As we suffer, we are to purpose not to sin, to believe and speak the truth, to not retaliate, and not threaten. In that suffering, we are to be persistent, trust God, be sacrificial, bring healing with our words and actions, and bring the wayward home. Jesus’ answer to the mistreatment we receive from others is to treat people the way we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
As we look to the life and teaching of Christ, we find that Jesus never condones acts of violence. Jesus never condones mistreating those that were innocent in your anger and frustration. Jesus never condones stealing. Jesus never condones murder. Jesus never condones devaluing others. Jesus never condones looking down on a person because they are women or men. Jesus never condones looking down on someone because of their skin color.
Practically, we need to serve others by being with them and being gracious and speaking truth to them.
In John 1:14, we read that Jesus dwelt with people and was a man full of grace and truth. I believe that those three principles should be our guiding response to others during this time. Be with them. Be gracious to them. Speak truth to them.
We have an opportunity is to bring something good, out of something bad
We all have an opportunity to listen to others, and corporately consider ways to advocate for those that are being oppressed. We can use those conversations to support each other and as strategy sessions that may help us become better and more competent servants and, more importantly, better Christians.
We can use this as an opportunity to become, what my friend calls, “competent, compassionate, catalyst, for Christ.”
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