Monday, November 24, 2014

Lack of Respect Isn't Just Rude, It's Deadly

While Ferguson braces for apocalyptic bedlam and the rest of the country grabs their popcorn to watch, a couple other cop-killing incidents were missed.  One of which involved yet another Midwestern city, another black teenager, and another quick trigger white cop; allegedly.  The scene is Cleveland, Ohio...where a 12 year-old boy was killed by a yet to be named Cleveland police officer who was responding to a phone report of a person pointing weapon at someone.  When the Cleveland PD arrived, the preliminary reports state that the boy didn't pull out and point the weapon at the two officers; but when he was told to raise his hands...he [allegedly] reached for the weapon tucked in his pants.  Black boy down.  For the sake of this work, let's assume the police reports are accurate.


Monday, November 17, 2014

What Real Deliverance Looks Like

I once saw a guy get hands laid on him and he fell forward, not backward.  If the people who were standing behind him weren't quick...actually, they weren't.  And dude fell flat on the carpeted floor.  A good sounding thud too...and though I know that people getting knocked out by the power of God is real, there's always a possibility of a production.  But ain't nobody gonna fake falling face first...that you can bet is real.  Everybody in the building must have been thinking the same thing as me, too; because there wasn't any shouting or dancing or any of that.  It was mostly silence...even as Believers who had seen "falling out" before...this one was distinctively different.


Monday, November 3, 2014

Emotions Over Proper Intelligence: The Danger of Passion Within Service

Last week, I had one of the best conversations I've had in quite a while...and it all started off as a complete train wreck.  A good friend of mine who's consistently active in the Central Virginia community with youth basketball, mentoring, and a variety of other community service ventures posted some of his usual informative and inspiring quotes on Instagram.  In seeing one that referred to an unjust incarceration, I was so appalled by the incident that I did my research to see if it was true....and it was, with some additional information.  In my haste, I included that information on his post, which was not well-received.  However, because we are men, we had a phone call and smoothed it all out.  And as soon as I hung up the phone the Holy Spirit started dealing with me on some things...some of which I'd like to share with y'all.