Wars and Rumors of Wars

I just finished watching an interview of the store owner of Sam's Meat Market on W. Florissant in Ferguson, Missouri.  Actually, it was one of his employees "Roz", a 25-year resident of the St. Louis suburb, who did most of the talking.  He was asked to come help defend the store by the owner earlier.  Standing in the middle of the stores' products being everywhere and no where at the same time, you could see the disappointment in his eyes.  "The people that went inside the store, these people were not anyone associated with the protests.  These people were opportunists", he solemnly stated.  The owner  complained about having to clean his store again for a second consecutive day in his thick middle-eastern accent.  The reporter was having a hard time following his frustration.  Everybody, everything in that image look so...so confused.

War confuses things.  People involved and even those who are watching from television began to question what's going on, where do we live, and who we are.  Danger seems ever-present in areas that appeared to be safe just hours ago.  Tensions at the doctor's office and the grocery store, at work and at government buildings get a little thicker.  And nothing that seemed important before seems to be that important; but the existing concern about the war is primary in our thoughts.  And to me, when it comes to wars that have foundations in oppression, all of these characteristics of confusion are magnified.

This current war in Missouri...which has roots in places like Samford, Florida and Los Angeles. Chicago, Detroit, and Money, Mississippi...is that magnified confusion resulting from oppression.  It mirrors the Jewish-Roman Wars in the 1st century, as citizens of Israel bucked against Roman oppression for nearly 7 decades...only to ultimately be defeated and dispersed.  It's evident through studies that many of those citizens, being eye-witnesses of the miraculous acts of Jesus Christ and His disciples, lost focus of the truth. And sometimes, I sometimes wonder if we as African-Americans have absorbed that same characteristic - being overcome with oppression that we've lost focus of what's really true. 

While I think it's unfair to group social activists and opportunists in the same arena...particularly when it comes to war.... I do think that overall the truth is lost between both groups and actually many of the groups within the African-American culture.  I say this recognizing that there is no sustainable unified political support, no significant financial backing, and no widespread effective education to even begin to come to the truth about Africans in America.  But most importantly, there is a challenged system of African-American Believers who are not passionate about the Salvation of Christ being given to others....leading many to not have a genuine opportunity to receive that Salvation, and essentially scattering the focus.

So, the corny line is "people need Jesus."  But with American tanks and soldiers on American streets restraining American citizens...the war and the rumor that Jesus spoke about in Mark 13:7...that statement is the least from simple.  And what can't be neglected is to know that now is the time for unrestricted and pure evangelism.  Therefore, as a Sons and Daughters of the Lord God through Jesus, living and offering Salvation, and not racism should be the focus.  I'm not saying anyone ignore American bigotry and it's assertions, but I am saying that conquering racism is not the path to eternal life.  And let's not allow opportunists, whether their robbing a neighborhood convenience store or sending federal troops to our neighborhoods, to get us lost in the war or the rumor.

Peace