I admit I still have hope

I admit I have been fairly silent on #BlackLivesMatter. I have been watching from afar. Maybe it is because I do not know all the facts. Maybe it is because I am one of the pastiest white guys I know with blonde hair and blue eyes. I admit I have no idea what it is like to walk around with dark skin, to be profiled by someone else just because the color of my skin. But I do know I cannot be silent any longer. Black lives matter and when us “white folks”   respond with all lives matter we are missing the point. In our country we have enslaved people because of the color of skin. We have devalued people not allowing specific rights because we feel supreme. We have had segregated schools because we thought that was best. Even today because of the systemic problems a black man is sentenced more harshly for the same crime as a white man. With all these things I admit I still have hope.

I admit that I have never met a poor policemen. Every cop I know has lived with integrity and when they put the badge on they really mean they are here to “Serve and Protect.” I admit I have no idea what it is like to wear the uniform to observe and watch over a community always having to respond to what the worst of humanity has to offer. Our church honored first responders on September 11 and I am proud of each one of them. They sacrifice their time and safety to protect our community. For them I am thankful. Their hard work is being overshadowed by some police that do not serve with the best integrity or intentions. Even though there are some problem cops I would guess that 99.9999% of policemen put on the uniform each day and use the best judgement they know how. With all these things I admit I still have hope.

I admit I am a Christian who may look at the world a little differently than most. I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven before I am a citizen of the United States. Jesus is my King and I follow his truth before I apply any of the Bill of Rights or the Constitution to my life. While I love my country and consider myself to be a Patriot I worship Jesus and not a flag. While I stand to the Star Spangled Banner putting my hand over my heart during it is difficult because my heart belongs to no one other than Jesus. While I recognize we are the leader in the world on freedom we may not have the best ideas on everything we do. With all these things I admit I still have hope.

I admit I am a Pastor who loves the people I have a chance to lead and serve. I err on the side of grace and love.  I share truth but do not condemn. I try to live out the Great Commandment of Loving God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and love my neighbor as myself. I have been called to live out the Great Commission of going to all nations to make disciples. I have seen the best and the worst of people. I have met with people who have had affairs, going through a divorce, suicidal. I have had a chance to marry and bury. Rejoice with them in babies birth and celebrate with salvation and baptism. I have seen fights tear friendships and churches apart. Through the twelve years in ministry I have heard racist comments at most and ignorant comments at least about minorities, refugees and other religions. All I can do is pray for God to have mercy for they know not what they are doing. Our church in the last few years has become more diverse. I would now consider it to be a multi-cultural church. I love what God is doing within our church community. With all these things I admit I still have hope.

I admit I am or at least used to consider myself a traveler. I have been to four continents and hope to be in the other two at some point. I am ok not experiencing Antarctica. It has helped me to see the world and people differently. We may look different, speak in different languages and come from a different background.  But we have a lot more in common than the things that are different. We truly live in a beautiful world with beautiful people created by a wonderful creator. In the world a terror is sweeping through and killing people who do not side with them. Our first response to fear is to stay away. Some brave soul might choose to go and rescue. The world can be a dangerous place. With all these things I admit I still have hope.

I admit that I am not a republican or a democrat and I will vote for… Well I am not going to admit everything today.

I admit that a blog like this probably will not have a dramatic change in the world. But I hope that the three or four people that might read it might ask how they might be able to bring good to the world. People are looking for hope and I hope that I am one that can bring that to them.