those who remain silent in the face of oppression

#Those who remain silent in the face of oppression how to#

Ongoing conversations with our black and brown friends educates us in how to love in an understanding way. Comfort in Christ’s name helps heal hurting hearts. When we decided to follow Jesus, we signed up to speak up for those with small voices.įollowers of Jesus must speak up with outrage and empathy when our brothers and sisters suffer death from race motivated violence. Economic prosperity is out of reach in the rarefied air only accessed by the higher levels of the social elite. Our education system takes care of the privileged few with little air of opportunity for those in the minority culture. Our criminal justice system chokes them without the air of proper legal representation and a fair trial. Literally and figuratively they cannot breathe with the knee of racial oppression on their neck. Speak up for those suffering under the yoke of racism. Christians are sinners saved by the grace of God, and no one is beyond God’s reach. We can relate best to sinners because we suffer from the same temptations and sorrows. Your reputation may become soiled because you choose to speak up on behalf of a seedy soul, but trust God. Second, third, and fourth chances are called for to model Christ’s attitude of acceptance. There may be family members who need your attention. Rise to the defense of widows, orphans, and the poor who are crushed under the weight of the world’s injustice. Make sure to speak up and defend those who are defenseless.

Be faithful to speak the words, and trust God with the results. Love compels us to take a relational risk and say something. Pride and ego keep us from being vulnerable to rejection or relational controversy, but we owe it to God, to others, and ourselves to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We love the person too much to allow them to hurt themselves and others with self-inflicted attitudes and inappropriate actions. Even if the words are hard and direct, God’s Spirit can deliver them in a loving manner. He wants us to speak up under the influence of His Spirit. Sometimes, it is easier to remain silent, but God has not called us to a path of least resistance. Silence is agreement, so loving people speak up. In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends…For evil to succeed, all it needs is for good men to do nothing. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. There comes a time when silence is betrayal. It’s a double sin to remain silent for racism is a sin and to not speak up about racism is a sin. I am convicted by the Holy Spirit to speak up about racism. If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible. Leviticus 5:1 Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 17, 2020

Those who remain silent in the face of oppression