With Eyes of Hope

This past week has been A LOT. 

I had to force myself to get off social media. I couldn’t focus. I could barely work. I was worried. I felt hopeless. I prayed. I checked on the black men in my life. 

Then I still didn’t understand why some people just did not understand.

An innocent life was lost for no reason to someone who took an oath to protect it. Period! Regardless of his color, regardless of what he may have done before the encounter, none of that matters. His life, however, did and still does! George Floyd. His loss of life along with several instances recently cumulated with thousands in recent years has everyone talking about racism. 

At this time I think it’s important to note that not all racism is screaming out “N----r” disrespectfully. It’s not even consciously thinking you hate someone because they are black. This country has imbedded racist patterns into everyday life. We are filled with images in film, tv, music that portray stereotypical types of black people. Those that don’t interact with black people on a regular basis, have only these representations to form understanding. Racism is having that tinge of fear when you see a young black man with his hoodie up but not having the same reaction to a young white man with his hoodie up. Racism is seeing someone that looks different from the majority in your neighborhood and assuming they must be up to no good. Racism is defending your right to be able to say the “n-word” that’s in a song but not standing up for someone being racially profiled when they have a right to walk the sidewalk. Racism is being more about the buildings and materials lost in a riot than you were about an innocent life. 

There’s so much that I could say on this subject. But I want to be able to provide a ray of light in the dark place. 

Our ancestors went through worse. That said, we CAN and we WILL make it through this. God created us uniquely different but equal in value. We need to learn to see one another as God’s precious children. It takes treating each person this way. Acting this out at home. And also speaking up when you see the opposite of that happen in society. 

Thank you to those of you who have already taken action steps toward justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arberry and others. Be safe out there!

“May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”

Psalm 33:22