I Had to Take a Breath

I call my Apple watch Mrs. Cravitz.  I don't do it where anyone can here. It is just between her and me. I call her that because she is nosey and medaling. Some of you. may be old enough to remember Mrs. Cravitz from the Bewitched show. She was the neighbor across the street always watching Samantha and Darrin out her window and meddling in their private magic/witch business. I am not a witch or magic, but my watch sure thinks she needs to monitor and track my world and butt into my daily business. I mean she tells me to move, to stand and says things like "Keep it Going!" My personal favorite is when she reminds me to breathe. Really. I breathe. Nonstop I breathe. That is how I stay alive. 

I know, I did not blog yesterday. Why? You may ask? I was breathing. My watch kept reminding me. Apparently, Mrs. Cravitz was particularly worried about my oxygen intake yesterday. I suppose she had reason. I was struggling. Friday's events surrounding Black Lives Matter rallies and protests that turned into riots and revolutions grieved and upset me. I was concerned for my friends of color (of which I am one) that still feel oppression and fear. I was concerned about people I knew attending the rallies knowing how those rallies often attract people that like to stir up trouble. I had to check out from social media because many people with a very shallow understanding of the whole issue (including family members) were posting things that were hurtful and uninformed. Mostly, I have always struggled with people being pushed to their limits feeling the only alternative is to revolt. raising a son with autism has taught me that when people feel like they have not been heard, especially for many generations. So yesterday, Mrs. Cravitz was right, I needed to breathe.

I have to say something to address what is happening. Many people for many years have felt strongly about how people have been oppressed and treated, yet remained silent. The work of the church, and by extension of me, it is to guide communities to right and spiritual understanding. It is wrong to remain silent. It perpetuates the problems when we remain silent.

It took breathing and prayer and silence to to hear God. What did I hear? I remember when my boys were little. They are only 10 months apart in age. They fought all the time. Initially it was aggravating and required constant refereeing. As time went on, and they got older, their fighting grieved me. The separation between them grew instead of getting better. Other than the fact they were males with the same last name, they had little in common and the differences pulled them apart. My emotions went from aggravation to grief. I watched them fuss and fight with a broken heart. I knew God had worked hard to create them and never intended for them to hate each other this way. As foster, then adopted children, they had been through so much together. And now, they could barely stand each other. I am certain God was heart-broken.

Yesterday, I a surveyed the problem of discord between people that has stretched over the years, some people with power, oppressing or minimally overlooking others making them powerless. Tension and fear culminating in murder and harm towards others. The sweeping generalizations toward each other, along with a lack of desire to understand others positions was like re-living my boys' fights and separation by turned up millions of times. I couldn't imagine being the parent of all of these people. Watching them harm each other emotionally, spiritually, financially and physically. 

God does grieve. I am sure. Mankind was created in God's very own image. Sitting there watching this divine creation tearing each other down, saying hurtful and hateful things, murdering them for no reason except anger and hate, not taking to the time to know each other, let alone seeing one another for who they are - God's perfect, beautiful creation. EVERYONE...even those that don't even know God...yet. 

I wonder what God thought when he saw Derek Chauvin lose his humanity to the point of murdering George Floyd. Or when the law enforcement in Big Horn County didn't see fit to search for, investigate or even bring charges against those causing young First Nations women and girls to go missing. (Native Americans make uo 6.7% of the population in Montana, yet make up 26% of the missing person reports.) Most of the deaths perpetuated on people of color are unwarranted, and under investigated but more importantly acts agains someone who was created in the image of God. For some, the fact that someone lives differently, loves differently, believes differently or maybe even sins differently than we do, they value is less.

Believing certain people have less value is dangerous. Believing people warrant a different level of care, love and respect allows us to value their life less, they can be seen as expendable; disposable. To do so is basically saying God created trash. He sees all of everyone as his people; his people he was willing to step dawn from the Heavens, walk among, die for and redeem. Does that sound like someone that is disposable...worthless.

This year at Christmas, my youngest son came home for the holidays, as we were hugging goodbye, he turned, his older brother standing there, and they awkwardly reached for each other, hugged and I had to turn away. I was choked up. The years of sadness was washed away with those tears. Not they are not BFFs yet but they care for each other in their differences and they love each other as brothers, as family. 

Please, for the love of God, before you speak about another, before you fight another, before you devalue another, remember, God hears and God made them and God loves them...as much as God loves you.

Today:

• Look at others as you would look upon God
• Look at others with the knowledge that differences do not mean lack of value
• Look beyond skin, gender, lifestyles and status to what is really there - a creation of God