What Will Make a Difference?

June 2, 2020
 
Beloved:

Another black man was murdered in police custody last week in Minneapolis.  His name was Mr. Floyd.  Peaceful protests have been infiltrated by rabble-rousers turning cities upside down with violence and vandalism.  Meanwhile, I can’t stop wondering if it’s a sin to keep my seat in this quiet room with a sweet breeze coming through the window, where all I hear is birdsong, road noise, and a sighing dog.  Shouldn’t I be doing something in the wake of such violence and tragedy?  How can praying possibly be enough?  Would one more set of marching feet make any difference anywhere?

I keep thinking about John Woolman, that 18th century Quaker forever working on his own heart; when he was divinely led to speak, he hardly spoke to more than a handful at a time, usually just one or two other people.  After thirty years or so, not a Quaker in North America still owned or traded slaves.

Systemic change is called for in every corner of our culture:  economic, social, political and otherwise.   Today, if possible, laws allowing excessive force by the state must change.  But as Woolman knew, the fundamental change required happens in the human heart and begins with my own:  the painful, painful work of tweezing out the shards and splinters of my own attitudes about this thing called race.  Race – itself a made-up notion to reinforce the attitudes that allow me to maintain my place in the deep disparity between white, brown, and black people groups.  Prayer and conversations with people also willing to do the work is all I know to do, and it’s the hardest work there is, it seems.  It contains less space for speaking than for listening.  It requires trust not easily found and/or maintained.

I do pray God’s blessing on the brave ones marching peacefully in the streets, and for God’s protection.  And I pray for the courage to pray that human hearts might also change in the days to come.  Take care.