WHAT CAN I DO? – PART III: LEAN & Love
My first two steps are to listen and to learn. These lead me to lean on God and love all people.
3. LEAN.
It is tempting in our day and age to think that we humans are so smart we can figure out all the answers. We have smart people, but the answers to the greatest issues of life come from God!
“Trust in God and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)
The Bible also teaches us that God has a much bigger plan for us than we can even imagine. We can have big thoughts and dreams, but His are bigger. God said, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
Facing the task of dealing with COVID-19, and challenging race relationships, and trying to balance all of that with the economy and the political situation – it’s tempting to rely on what we think is best. I’m learning that I must lean on God.
As we celebrate our nations’ birthday, I’m reminded that our forefathers leaned on God for everything. They trusted Him and gave Him the credit for all of the victories. David said, “Unless the Lord guards a city, those who guard it do so in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) We must learn to lean on Him.
4. LOVE.
When I listen, learn, and lean on God, I begin to see that loving all people is a possibility. Love is not a noun. It is a verb. It is a powerful force that we put into action.
Today, I see many people on medical teams and first responders who are living out love as they put their lives in danger so that we might see victory over the coronavirus. Many people of all races are wearing law enforcement uniforms and are ready to lay down their life for any citizen in Montgomery. There are many men and women of all races who are willing to protest injustice by showing love.
Montgomery is the home of Dr. Martin Luther King. His dream helped change the world. That dream was partially conceived on Dexter Avenue in Montgomery. His message was one of love rather than hate. He reminded us that you can’t eliminate hate with hate, but only with love.
I’ve had some people from different races say to me that the idea that Dr. King had about love was for his day, but not for our day. They propose that change will come through violence, conflict, destruction, and eliminating people that stand in the way. They are wrong!! Representative John Lewis says, “Rioting, looting, and burning is not the way. Be constructive, not destructive. History has proved time and again that non-violent, peaceful protest is the way to achieve the justice and equality that we all deserve.”
Dr. King had the best way. His way was constructive – not destructive. His strategy was love. He quoted Jesus as our Authority (read Matthew 22:36-40), and Jesus is still right today!
I’m praying for an epidemic of love to be let loose in my city, state, nation, and world that will spread more rapidly and more powerfully than the coronavirus and make our economic downturn look like an insignificant blip on the screen of life in 2020. That epidemic of love will help people of all colors of the world live in unity. Love paves the way for people of all races to live together in peace and unity.
What can I do? – Listen to God and people, learn what God can do, lean on God, and love all people.
Next week – Part IV
