Feelings

I have blogged about current events in the past, but I’ve stayed away from writing about Ferguson, Missouri. I was having a hard time putting my feelings into words – and no verse came to mind. Until yesterday when I was introduced to Benjamin Watson and his November 25 Facebook post.

He was angry, frustrated, fearful, embarrassed, sad, sympathetic, offended, confused, introspective, hopeless, hopeful and encouraged – and he articulated each of those feelings very well. I found myself agreeing with them, but from a different perspective – until the last paragraph. There we were in the same book:

I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn.

Rebelling against authority is not confined to Ferguson, MO, is it? We do it every time we go against God’s will. That is applicable to every human who walks on this earth – and to Satan:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8 KJV)

Mr. Wilson is also encouraged because:

BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. . . .  It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.

There are two sides to every dividing incident in life. Our goal should be that the gospel – the good news – be part of the healing if it cannot be spread before as prevention.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:17-18 KJV)

I have not taken these verses out of context, but there is so much more in this chapter! We need to spend time there, to understand God’s love for everyone and our need to express that as we share our love with others:

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21 KJV)

Do we really need to ask who our “brother” is? Hasn’t our Lord shown us in His own life? Did He not die that all could come to hear of the salvation offered?

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:4-6 KJV)

Who are we to determine any person is not worthy to come “unto the knowledge of the truth”? That any person does not fall under “a ransom for all”?

Instead, let us spend time in prayer and preparation that we might be ready:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)