When situations occur in our society, we often wonder what our pastors will say about it on Sunday morning. Will they speak out against racial injustice? Will they speak out against the police officers, who commit heinous acts against minorities in our communities across America? Will they address illegal immigration? I mean, they have to say something… right?
Well, what happens when the pastor doesn’t address the issue in the pulpit? How does that make you feel?
Last year, I watched a video on Youtube that included a pastor of a multicultural church, who admitted that he was scared to address racial injustice because he was afraid to lose half of his congregation. This particular pastor wept because he was filled with guilt and shame. He wanted to discuss what was happening in our communities across the country but he just couldn’t find the words. (At least, that’s what he thought.)
As I reflected upon that interview, these thoughts came to mind: “When the Lord releases a pastor to preach about love, he or she is speaking against racial injustice whether they mean to or not. 1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV states, “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 John 4:8 ESV states, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 Peter 4:8 ESV states, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 John 4:19 ESV states, “We love because he first loved us.” Mark 12:30-31 states, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Therefore, if your pastor has ever preached a message about love, it is not the pastor’s fault that we choose to compartmentalize who our “neighbors” are and it is not the pastor’s fault when we choose to compartmentalize who we love. To compartmentalize means to divide into sections or categories.
In other words, if we loved the way the Father intended, we wouldn’t have to wait on the pastor to say anything on Sunday morning. We would know exactly what to do when we see a police officer’s knee on a man’s neck. We would know what to do when the media reports about innocent police officers being attacked by our brothers and sisters. We would know what to do when we see communities being burned and small businesses being destroyed by our brothers and sisters. We would know what to do when we see our brothers and sisters scaling the Capitol wall.
We would pray for the lost to be found. We would pray for the victims and their families. We would pray for the accused and their families. We would pray for justice and mercy. Why? Why would we pray for mercy during those situations? We would pray for mercy because of Matthew 5:7. It states, ““Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” I don’t know about you but I need God to have mercy on me. We need God to have mercy on pastors who feel guilty for not saying enough when they’ve been preaching about love this entire time. That’s a trick of the enemy and I rebuke it in the name of Jesus. As believers in Christ Jesus, we shouldn’t focus on which “issues” the pastor will address. Jesus told the disciples 2,000 years ago that there would be trouble in the world. Trouble shouldn’t surprise a believer. Trouble shouldn’t cause a believer to turn against one another. Trouble shouldn’t cause a believer to choose a side that is contrary to the kingdom of God. Jesus told the disciples to take heart because he’d already overcome the world, so pray for your pastors because they were called by the overcomer to prepare us for a time such as this. Just think about it. Then, go to the Father and pray about it.
#Soul Searching with our Father#
