The tragedies over the last few days are deplorable, and they have shaken all of us. Horrifically, this is even more true for the families of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and now the people, officers and their families of Dallas. The events are shocking, revolting and tragic. Yet they also, once again, bring to the surface an undercurrent swelling quietly below as a billow of bias for far too many people in our nation for far too long.
Our prayers go out to the families and friends affected most closely by these events, and to those fighting for their lives at this very moment in Dallas. But we must do more than pray. We, as believers in Jesus Christ, must begin to both model and apply more fervently biblical solutions to our nation’s chaos.
Gone must be the days of only pointing fingers at others to fix what they may never fix. Our nation’s ills are not merely the result of corruption or racism, although these are evil. Our troubles can also be traced directly to ineffective Christians. One of the real tragedies today is that the church as a whole has failed to advance God’s kingdom light, equity, love and principles in our land in order to be a positive influence and impact for good in the midst of darkness, fear and hate.
We must do better. We must unite. We must stand together and commit to one another that we will usher in a wave of change, justice, life, safety, rightness, equity and dignity for all. And above all, we must not let fear nor hatred divide us. Peace, unity, love and non-violence should be our rallying cry and the catalyst for change in our nation.
“We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
