Let it begin

I have tried to gather my thoughts on what has happened in America in the last week.

I have not been able to gather them well yet, I don’t think.

I know I haven’t gathered them well enough for rational comment, other than the next few sentences.

It has been hard for me to wrap my mind around what I saw happen to George Floyd in the video I watched.

It’s been hard for me to wrap my mind around all I’ve seen since.

The things I saw in the video should never have happened.

We must do better.

I must do better.

Here, in the Bible Belt, it is not uncommon for people to adopt a favorite Bible verse.

Mine used to be Phillipians 4:13, which says, “I can do all this, through Him who gives me strength.”

I think I latched on to those words when I was younger because I thought they meant I could do whatever I wanted to do, cerebral palsy or no cerebral palsy.

With some age, and some context, I know now those words mean something different.

They mean I can be content in Jesus, even if my personal circumstances aren’t ideal, because Jesus is greater than any situation I’ll face in life.

I think I’ll hang on to my original favorite verse, and its context, but for the last couple of days another one has played on a loop in my head.

It’s Micah 6:8.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Michael Jackson had a hit song about the man in the mirror, and how we have to start with ourselves and make a change.

Jesus said it another way.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:3-5

The last week has caused me to focus on myself before I look outward for the changes I wish were already made in the world.

I’ve been focused on how I can always do justly, love mercy more and walk humbly with God while I walk in the world.

I’ve thought about what it means to be just, merciful and humble in my interactions with others no matter our differences.

I’ve thought about how I have to try harder to make a conscious effort to be just toward everyone, merciful toward all and humble every day.

I have to love my neighbor as myself, no matter the color of his or her skin, whether we share the same values or anything else.

I cannot be so quick to point my finger at someone else.

I cannot concentrate on his or her faults to cover my own.

I cannot be unjust, merciless and prideful toward fellow human beings.

I have to do what the Lord requires of me.

Then, maybe, we can all start to love one another in a real way and move toward real change.

I know it won’t be easy.

I know it won’t happen overnight, and I know I’ll fail a ton because I’m not perfect, but let it begin in me.

Let it begin in all of us, and spread to all the world.

This post is a response to Sue’s prompt, which is “begin.”