What is Perceived and what is Believed: Riots, Recklessness and Righteousness

What is Perceived and what is Believed:  

Riots Recklessness and Righteousness 

5/31/20

 

Some things in life are not easy to sort out. when it comes to justice and injustice.  The recent death of George Floyd and the ensuing riots, reminded me, of my own experience as a young teenager in high school where I faced two tragic race riots.   It is a tragedy to have to face the hate, bitterness, and destruction from these violent forces. Some perceived this violent outburst to be just but in the minds of most innocence bystander these riots are unjust. . 

 

Believe or not the Bible has over 15 incidents of riots and injustice by unruly mobs.   Let’s look at:

“And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, He went His way.  Luke 4:28-30” Was this just or unjust?  This was an incident of a mob action who perceived that Jesus was discriminating against their ancient Jewish beliefs.

It is never easy to take a serious incident like our national race riots and attempt to relate it to the Bible.  Sometimes preacher can interject their opinions and fail to preach it in a truly just manner.  However, God is never absent from any of our crisis in life.    What does God genuinely want from us peaceful demonstrations heartfelt apologies or  angry protests, hateful rhetoric, and looting and burning,   One young man in Minnesota, was asked why resort to looting? he said I am getting mine and besides this is not theft or looting this is predatory lending!

 

Eccl. 3:16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.  

I do not agree with the incident surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd that ignited hated, bitterness and looting.  I will say it again this man did not have to die and many of us mourn his loss.   I am sure that retaliation against innocent people is not right.  I am not sure that I can ever comprehend the ransacking and burning police precinct’s and stores, stealing TVs and designer handbags in the name of justice.

 

Whoever has the greatest influence in your life will have the greatest impact in what you do and how you behave.  When things get tough and we are forced to response to a “social justice crisis” Who do you form alliance with and what are your intentions?   Some of us get involved in well indented crusades for a good cause, but deep within our inner being we hope to see change. 

Romans 5:2-7   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

Gal 6:9 “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

 

When Causes/Crusades become Chaos:

The death of Jesus was incited by Jewish leaders who felt discriminated against and asked for his death and they convinced an unruly mob to violent action.  

 

Matthew 27 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. Barabbas,” they answered.²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked, they all answered, “Crucify him!” ²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” ²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”  In this incident the mob was influenced by outside sources to Crucify and perfect and just man. 

Chaos causes confusion and separates us from our faith and our trust in God.

I Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”   The things that happen every day in our lives can be chaotic and confusing. We all need direction, but as Christians we can rest assure that the Holy Spirit is living inside of us and He is able to guide us and keep our mind at ease.   We can be stricken by emotions on both sides that can cause us to lash out, but as Christians we should we find our peace and hope.

 

My heart goes back to a funeral of Jane Hughes, I see the personal injustice of losing this beautiful lady. The loss of Jane Hughes to this community was sad, many said she gave so much to Effingham County; she was a gentle and graceful woman who spoke not in words but in action, actions of love and compassion.   The idiom to know her was to love her was so true of Jane.   Her son Tripp said he does not remember in his lifetime that Jane ever argued or said hateful things to any of them.  Jane is an unheralded loss to all of us.  Many may not have known her, but she was a woman who was consistent in business and in life.  In my heart I sense an injustice because so many of us could have gained so much from her life and her spirit. Today the question is who among you will stand up and be a replacement here on earth.

Does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth I Corinthians 3:16

I Peter 1:3-6 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.