As we witness the emotional response to the death of Trayvon Martin continue to pour out, I’m reminded of one prevailing, human emotion. We have a need for justice.
Why does Martin’s family cry out, demanding George Zimmerman be arrested now? Because they desire justice.
Why does the Zimmerman family defend the shooter, crying out that he is wrongly accused? Because they desire justice.
Why do Spike Lee and Rosanne Barr tweet supposed addresses of Zimmerman’s family, invading their privacy? Because they desire justice.
Why did Pres. Obama stir the conversation, saying, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon”? Because he desires justice.
Why do Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson appear adjacent to the family before all those rolling cameras? Because they each desire justice.
Why did the New Black Panther Party but a $10,000 reward out for Zimmerman’s abduction? Because they desire justice.
Why has the Sanford Police Department taken so long to investigate? Because it desires justice.
Why did the U.S. Attorney General’s office get involved? Because it desires justice.
Why do Facebook users post continual rants in support of Martin? Because they desire justice.
Why do Facebook users post continual rants in support of Zimmerman? Because they desire justice.
Herein lies the problem. The Intramuralist believes most of us want the same thing. We want justice. The challenge is that we are uncomfortable when someone else does the deciding as to what exactly justice is.
The God I serve is said to be just. Call that radical. Call that conservative. Call it something. Throughout all of recorded history, his justice is both proven and proclaimed. I’ll be honest with you; sometimes it’s hard to trust in that. It’s hard to see that without him having skin on. But I must remember that the God I serve is still bigger than you and me. He’s got his eyes on the planet, and my guess is that there isn’t a thing on Earth that escapes him. Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Does he not hear or see Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman?
God knows what is just.
You and me might necessarily not.
Can we be ok with that? Can we be ok with not taking justice into our own hands or deciding for ourselves what authentic justice looks like? Were we ok when a jury of their peers found both OJ Simpson and Casey Anthony “not guilty”? What about no jury or no peers ever determining the fate of Adolf Hitler? … or never even catching Jack the Ripper? I’ll be honest again. That’s hard for me. It’s hard when thinking about Martin and Zimmerman.
Everything in me says that we can figure this out; we can decipher accurately every, minute detail; we can completely comprehend exactly what happened that night and discern in totality what is true. But we can’t.
We can’t.
Back to that God who is just. Back to all people on this planet finding a way to be ok with that.
Respectfully,
AR
Micah 6:8
The Message (MSG)
8But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.
It is easy to sense the frustration people have about this situation…. I am frustrated as well….along with others, here are some reasons why….
Frustrated that because of history, minorities dis-trust the justice system
Frustrated that neighborhood watch groups need to exist
Frustrated that concealed carry laws need to exist
Frustrated that laws protecting someone’s right to self-defense with a weapon need to exist
Frustrated that the justice system is flawed…run by humans
Frustrated that racism indeed DOES exist….on many levels and directions
Frustrated that we need to, and do “profile” others without wisdom
Frustrated that the media and activists can so easily manipulate society
Frustrated that society (myself included) can so easily be manipulated into believing reported “facts” as truth
Frustrated that society (myself included) rush to imagining we can KNOW the truth of situations we are so far removed from
Frustrated that TRUTH is so easily mis-represented…..
Essentially….my frustrations come down once again to the realization that until Jesus returns…..we live in the fallen world…and need Him desperately to make it thru….
When polarizing episodes like this happen, it is a challenge to focus on what we DO know to be TRUTH…and resist the temptation to try to discern from media “reports” what MIGHT be truth…..
Jesus IS truth
Jesus IS justice
Jesus’ heart grieves over this tragedy…..
Jesus loves all involved…..
Jesus is filled with mercy and compassion IN this situation
Jesus desires us all to seek after/love/cherish truth & justice
I pray that justice will be served by truth coming to light….that I can so cherish TRUTH that I will accept it wherever it lies, AND….that God pour out His infinite mercy and compassion on the grieving families of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.
Al and Jesse do not want justice, they want to stir up the look of racism. They are the racists in this matter. They are the old guard of the so called black movement. Al and Jesse are hatemongers!!