Reflections on How to be Better

This week encompassed personally for me a conundrum of emotions, a great triumph seeing a dream realized and great sadness as I watched another dream unravel, the latter, a dream sought by many Americans, most notably quoted from the great Civil Rights advocate and inspirational leader of our nation in his day, the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This dream:that one day...all men will have equal opportunity and be known by their character, not their skin color. 

I first became aware of such differences, emotions, reactions and protests, the reality of racism in my white suburb of Los Angeles in the sixties. 

I studied race relations in college, took an interest in that very thing. I would not be the "P" word, ...prejudice. 

I thought I was OK. Both of my sons embraced friendships of diversity and the boys all frequented my home quite often. We played sports together, worshipped together, worked together.

Yet this week, I paused an examined my own thoughts, reflected inward, had a few dialogues with others and prayed. I prayed not just for the family of George Floyd, and the horrific incident that resparked an already simmering fire, but I needed to muster up humility to recognize my own bends away from God's truth,  for I am the only one I can change first. 

There is a prayer one needs to say at times like these, taken from Scripture, 
"Lord, ...see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me to the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:24). 

I thought about our country, our world  and all who have spoken out in poetry, music, essays, creative ways to express pain or challenge us in our own thinking. Compiling a few here, I challenge you to reflect as well. 

"As if it harm'd me, giving others the same chances and rights as myself--as if it were not indispensable to my own rights that others possess the same." Walt Whitman, Great American Poet. 

Lord, have I harmed anyone with my words? 

When peoples care for you and cry for you, they can straighten out your soul. 
Langston Hughes, American Poet.

Lord, Am I doing enough, am I understanding? 

After all, Scripture tells us, that Love is action. 

I John 3:18-19 "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 

Lord, help me be Love in action, bring me opportunity and may I be obedient to Your direction. Use me as an instrument of Your truth. 

Lord, How do I see people? Do I see them as You do? Always? 

Tupac Shakur, in his rap and poetry spoke from his pain and challenged us. 

"You see you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals. On the contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity. We would all love its will to reach the sun. Well, we are the roses, this is the concrete, and these are my damaged petals." 

While gathering my thoughts and quotes, I took a break outside and captured this butterfly.
Do you see its compromised, tattered wing? 

Can you still see its beauty? The hope? Did it emerge from its chrysalis just for a doomed destiny or will it fly? I believe it will fly for I care, and I want to believe in the good we were created for. It brought me joy, thus it served  a great purpose already. 

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Lord, you gave me a voice. Help me to use it for Your Glory and speak up for injustices. Give me courage Lord to do that very thing. 

Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV) "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." 

Father God, guide me in my freedoms to be fair and just and loving, a good listener as well as responding in Your wisdom.  

Are we talking or are we listening? 

One of my favorite scriptures, Micah 6:8 "He has told you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" 

Nelson Mandela said it well, "For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." 

So did the Apostle Paul: Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Lord, I humbly ask to continue to free me from my own thoughts that weigh me down and help me to be a chain-breaker for others. 

Psalm 119:45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. 

Such a gift of grace we have received, yet may we never use that gift to inflict ungraceful actions onto another. Forgive me Lord of that sin in my heart. 

Help me Lord to obey and serve You best in Your greatest commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

Galatians 5:13-14 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

"I do my best counting on you counting on me." ~Maya Angelou, American Poet Laureate 

Let us count on each other, hold each other up, but let it begin with you and me God.

Tupak Shakur 

Mandisa with Kirk Franklin and Toby Mac