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| Baltimore City Riots April 2015 (youtube.com) |
I realize that the LAST thing the Internet or social media need right now is someone airing yet another opinion about the Baltimore riots. But I am led to put in a word about these tragic events because they hit home to me on a deep level. Maybe it is because they are happening just up the road from me, or perhaps it is because I have a dear friend who was raised in the Baltimore area, but for whatever reason, I think these events have a lot to teach us as followers of Christ. It seems so many of us can be quick to judge, point fingers, blame government leaders, and dig up dark decades of American history, but we fail to look into the mirror about what these events say about each of OUR hearts and about the Church. You see, both the left and the right have missed the central issue--it is not an issue of race relations, civil rights, or the failure of government. Instead, it is an issue of SIN, which is far closer to each of us than a city on a map, a click of the mouse, or the headlines of the newspaper.
First of all, if we were to be honest with ourselves, we would see that each one of us put up a fierce fight for our personal rights. It may not be with bats and fire in the streets, but it might show up in outbursts with our spouse or children, or may be as subtle as a simmering bad attitude. But God sees our hearts and tells us in His Word how deprived mankind really is. And this outrageous behavior, with its looting, and stealing, and violence and destruction is nothing new. The right-wing would have us believe that America is catapulting itself into a pit of doom and destruction, coming apart from within, but did God not smite out the entire world population by flood waters because He saw that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen 6:5)? In fact, even the "good" things we do are like filthy rags (literally soiled menstrual cloths) apart from faith in Him (Isaiah 64:6). We can't point fingers at the looters, the rioters, and the government officials and think that they are intrinsically different from ourselves--the radical truth is that we are ALL utterly depraved apart from the grace of God. Period.
Secondly, I have read from the right-wing spokespersons that this is an issue of poorly managed government, leadership failure, and Islamic agendas, and that we need to look toward a "Martin Luther King, Jr." figure to come forth and lead us in peace once again. But, the Bible already offers the prescription for healing on a nation-wide scale, and it is does not involve the raising up of a godly leader to take the helm and lead a political or social reform effort. Instead, God's instructions involve nothing less than each of us as His people--Christ followers, members of His church--humbling ourselves and doing some personal soul searching and confession in prayer. See it with me in 2 Chronicles 7:14...
"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (emphases mine)
If we were really interested in ending political and social unrest in our nation, then we as the Church would become a lot more serious about praying to the Lord and repenting from our personal and corporate sin, asking God to rain His righteousness down on our depraved hearts and therefore, into this parched nation. We'd look closely at our pulpits and consider whether they were in line with God's truth as He relates it to us in Scripture. We'd see that our true hope, both individually and corporately, is the grace of God and the salvation He brings through His Son's death on the cross in our place. In short, we'd get serious about the gospel...ALL of it...and cry out for God's restoration of this Earth according to His will.
Thirdly, I would challenge any of us Christ followers who mock our government leaders to absolutely refrain from doing so any longer and reacquaint yourself with the Scriptures! We criticize and belittle local and federal officials--the Mayor of Baltimore, Obama, and the like--all the while forgetting that they are the authority whom God has put into place--do we forget that God is Sovereign over all, or do we still think the ballot box put our leaders into place (Rom 13:1-7)? Instead of raking them over the coals, do we take time to pray for them and lift them up to the Lord? I don't see much of this, at least among my generation!
And finally, we all must realize that there are two parties fighting in this battle, but they are not enraged rioters and police officers. They are not white people and black people. They are not the right-wing and left-wing leaders, Republicans and Democrats. May we never forget that the two parties in this battle are clearly presented by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12...
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
This is a battle of cosmic proportions, being waged since the beginning of known history! It is not until we fully recognize this as Christ followers and get serious about doing battle with our indwelling sin--both in our individual heart as well as corporately in the walls of our churches--that God's promise will come to fruition and He will "hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and HEAL OUR LAND!"
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