In the next few days, perhaps even weeks, you will hear many statements made and many messages spoken about the sovereignty of God in the face of the wild times we are in. Messages about unity and calm. Many will say, “no matter what, Jesus is in control and on the throne.” A very true statement, indeed, but without context, are we really saying the same thing?
Context matters.
Many will say, “no matter what, Jesus is in control and on the throne.” A very true statement, indeed, but without context, are we really saying the same thing?
It’s one thing to say that Jesus is in control and that we put our hope in him, but do you trust him enough to NOT vote for a xenophobic, racist, white supremacist idolizing president?
Do you trust him enough to go against the grain and risk your comfort zone of partisan futility to send a message that you firmly believe–as we learn in the Scriptures–that character matters, leadership matters, empathy matters, morality matters, humility matters, life matters (not that cherry-picking “all lives matter” BS. I mean the WHOLE life), and people matter?
Do you trust him enough to consider leaders who show concern for the poor, the widow, the stranger, and the foreigner?
Do you trust that Jesus’ throne cannot, does not, and will not align with evil, image-bearers-of-God hating ideologies?
Do you trust him to be in control?
FYI: Black people are aware of what you say AND what you do. Trust and believe that we are listening, watching, and taking note of whether your deeds line up with your words. Don’t tell us that you care about our Black lives and then turn around and support a president who sees the movement for the dignity of Black lives as a problem.
It’s one thing to say that Jesus is in control and that we put our hope in him, but do you trust him enough to NOT vote for a xenophobic, racist, white supremacist idolizing president?
There is a serious failure to consider the optics of what you are communicating to your Black siblings when you seem to falter between two opinions. As the writer Son of Baldwin puts it:
“We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.”
You cannot say you love us and then turn around and vote for people, or policies, that continue to reinforce a system that thrives on our oppression, a system that can be directly linked to our death.
Black people are aware of what you say AND what you do. Trust and believe that we are listening, watching, and taking note of whether your deeds line up with your words.
When Black people say that Jesus is in control, they are not using empty words; believing that God is still on the throne is our lifeline. Our faith isn’t a faith born of privilege and comfort; it’s a faith that comes with risks. We continue to engage in this risky faith because we believe that heaven can meet us on earth.
We believe in the dignity of all people. We believe that we are a reflection of our creator and should be able to live and be 100% who God created us to be.
Some of you reading this might call me bitter and say that I am causing division. I’m neither.
As you continue to align yourselves both publicly and privately with people who have and will continue to harm Black people, please know that it speaks volumes about where your hope is and to whom you are actually loyal.
Here’s the good news:
You still have time to repent and repair the damage that you have caused.