It makes sense to want to take a side in much of the turmoil going on in our world. We want to see justice. We want to see those who have harmed others punished for what they have done.
I have heard valid arguments from Christians and non-Christians alike on either side of the "Black Lives Matter"debate. Some are saying that there are deep roots of hatred and oppression, which are now being torn up in order that they can fight against their oppressors. Other's are saying that fighting this battle, in this manner, will cause anarchy and destruction and lead to a much larger human problem than just this. Some are saying that we cannot move forward as a society unless we address the bodies that our country was built on. Others are saying that the only thing we are doing, by bringing up those long dead injustices, is creating new bodies and shedding more blood.
So where does Christ stand in all of this? Many Christians believe Christ stands with the police, "All Lives Matter", justice for the innocent who have never owned slaves, never harmed others (black or otherwise), are simply men and women human beings living their lives the same as any of us. Other's stand with the oppressed, "Black Lives Matter", justice for the victimized, those who have been targeted for reasons they cannot control, men and women trying to live their lives but unable to truly be safe because of their skin color. Where does Christ stand?
You want the truth? You aren't going to like it.
NO LIVES MATTER
Hold up, that isn't really Christ's view on life, Michelle. Christ loves me, God created me, Christ died for me. My God is a good and generous God, he would mourn and grieve to see me die. ABSOLUTELY! God mourns and cries at what we, his people, his creation, have done to ourselves and one another. God is devastated by the devastation we have caused to ourselves and to others. God made it so easy for us. He gave us a rule book, a perfect self help book, an infallable guide to having a perfect and blessed life. And yet we humans, we have a better plan than the maker of heaven and earth. We know more than him, we understand better how to make our existence happy, and it certainly isn't to follow him. It is to be adulterers, murderers, thieves, liars. You might say "Michelle, I have never murdered, stolen, or been adulterous." But see, even that is a lie.
Our society is built on adultery, murder and theft. Have you ever been so angry at a company, a product, a small business about a lack of quality in their product, a lack of customer service, or just feeling like you paid too much for what you got? Have you ever been angry enough to go online and post a negative review to that company, that product, that business? What was your intention in posting that negative review? Was it to help the company become better? If it was you could do as the Lord commanded and contact them privately to discuss the matter (Matthew 18:15 - 17). Was it to warn others of the dangers of working with this business (that had the nerve to serve you brocolli when you asked for fries)? Whatever the reason, your negative "review" of the product or service cost that company money in future business. You stole from them and you disobeyed what the Lord has asked you to do.
And what about adultery? Our entire society does and thinks nothing of adultery. We live in a time when adultery is celebrated and treated casually. Yes, we see singles having casual sex. It has gotten to where it is easier for singles to have sex than it is for them to have a conversation. We see couples living together without being married. We see men with men and women with women. We see porn addiction (or casual porn seeking for those of us in denial) being rampant in our community, including in the church! Even the casual movies and shows that we watch at home (with our children in the room) are full of sexual situations, implied sex scenes, and nudity. These movies have subtly and slowly changed over the years to desensitize us to seeing pornography in our daily lives, without feeling like we are seeing porn (An example is comparing magazine covers from 30 years ago to those we have today). Whether you feel like any of this describes you or not, you cannot deny that our culture certainly has shifted to become one that encourages and celebrates adultery.
Well, what about murder? I know I've never murdered anyone. But see, maybe you have. I know I have. If you ever let a friend or acquaintance drive buzzed (or did it yourself) you may be a murderer. If you ever let loose your tongue and tore someone down, you may be a murderer. If you ever had an abortion, or (in my case) did not discourage someone from getting an abortion, you may be a murderer. (Check out my blog "How to Talk to my Friend about Abortion"to learn more about my story).
Believe it or not we live in a wicked society. Many of these actions seem so clear cut, but they aren't. Our society has shifted to where we justify sin every day. We live in sin, we build our entire lives on sin, and we treat sin like it is so casual and accept it in other peoples lives, to the point that we no longer even realize that what we are doing is lying, murdering, cheating, stealing, adultering, and destroying. We are all sinners and none of us is living the life God put us here to live in full. But here is the redemptive part, Christ died to save us from this sin so that we can go on and live our lives forgiven.
But if Christ died to save my life, then why do I say "No Lives Matter". Well, because Christ didn't die to save THIS life, he died so that you could have the next life, YOUR TRUE LIFE. Your life on this earth, it doesn't matter, and neither does mine. I have been given my time on this earth to use in to praise God. In praising God we are able to introduce others to Christ. That is the only purpose of this life, to praise Christ, and to introduce others to Christ, so that they can also have their real true life. It's true that my life here on earth doesn't matter and neither does yours. We cannot treat this time here as if it is all we have. This isn't even our life! This is God's life! This life on this earth doesn't matter, not mine and not yours! So I say again, NO LIVES MATTER, but what I mean to say is no EARTHLY lives matter. Our only real true meaningful life is the one we have waiting for us in heaven.
Little do we realize that none of us are blameless, that is why Christ died, because he is blameless and he is the only one who could save us. If we wanted justice for anyone it should be for Christ. Christ is the only one who walked this earth who was blameless, and yet we crucified and killed him heartlessly. Where were his riots? Where was his uproar? I am telling you Christian brothers and sisters if there was ever a life that did matter, it was Christ's, and no one protested his death. Why do we demand the blood of oppressors when we ourselves have oppressed? Why do we demand justice, when none was ever demanded of us? Christ died so we would be forgiven. We are forgiven! It is time for us to stop demanding justice and start forgiving, even when our oppressors have not asked for forgiveness. If Christ can forgive us for mercilessly and unjustly killing him then we can forgive one another for all being imperfect human beings who have sinned, been redeemed, and need grace and forgiveness.
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