Holy God, your son could have called legions of angels to his aid but instead submitted freely to those who sought his destruction. Grant us courage as your people who have died in the waters of baptism to work for the safety of all your children. Teach us to live your story. Amen.
George Zimmerman has been found not guilty. He is not innocent, neither am I. All fall short of the glory of God. Thank you, St. Paul.
During the last few days the media circus has been whipped into a frenzy, individuals are being polarized. Some can't believe the verdict and consider it to be only about race. Others are celebrating George Zimmerman as a hero and a symbol of the importance of the Stand Your Ground law. Ted Nugent is court jesture of gun rights prancing about as if something good happened.
Nothing good has happened. It is tragedy all around. Both Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman are victims of an event that never had to happen. One life is ended and another forever changed.
George Zimmerman took the life of Trayvon Martin. It didn't have to be that way. George Zimmerman was breaking the rules of Neighborhood Watch because he was carrying a gun. He apparently had the right to own and carry a gun under Florida law. He freely forfeited that right as a member of Neighborhood Watch under their rules. It was his choice nobody compelled him to be a member of Neighborhood Watch. He chose to ignore the rules. George Zimmerman could have stayed in the car and listened when told by 911 they didn't need him to follow Martin. George Zimmerman did not listen. This is evidence that George Zimmerman did not completely respect the rules or the authority of the community in which he lived. He was a scofflaw. George Zimmerman is not innocent. Neither am I.
Trayvon Martin had some history of marijauna use. He was a B+/A- student according to his English teacher. He had been suspended from school three times. There had been a question about some jewelry found in his possession but no charges were brought and he had no record. Still, he was not innocent, neither am I.
Is being innocent the issue, however? Beyond the legal system are there any other options that might have been a more effective solution for the circumstances in which Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman found themselves engaged.
Last Sunday we heard the story of the Good Samaritan once again. How might have the story of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman been different if the script of the Good Samaritan been running in both their hearts? What might have been different if instead of perceiving Trayvon Martin as a "problem" from the start George Zimmerman had seen Trayvon as someone he could help by offering aid. What might have been different if Trayvon had seen Zimmerman not as a threat but as the possibility of one offering assistance like the Samaritan.
In our country we, blacks and whites, still struggle with the racial scripts we have running in our heads. Often we make assumptions about others because of those scripts. "Male black teens are 'trouble.' "
Many of our scripts are not racial. "Kids today are lazy." "People on welfare are lazy." "Rich people are selfish." "Gays have a hidden agenda." "Gays are promiscuous." "Christians are against science." On and on we have script after script running in our heads. Few are true in whole or even in part. None are innocent. Neither am I.
What would happen if we allowed God's script to become ours, God's story to become our story. What if we all lived out our lives laying them down for others like Jesus and like the Good Samaritan. If we did we might be able to worry less about innocence and to rejoice in those who come to bring aid instead wondering is he or am I innocent. We are not innocent. Not one.
Christ died for me so that I can give up pretentions about being innocent and just worry about how to live like a real neighbor so that everyone who watches my life will remember Christ's story. Maybe I should worry less about standing my ground than the story and script I am following.
George Zimmerman has been found not guilty. He is not innocent, neither am I. All fall short of the glory of God. Thank you, St. Paul.
During the last few days the media circus has been whipped into a frenzy, individuals are being polarized. Some can't believe the verdict and consider it to be only about race. Others are celebrating George Zimmerman as a hero and a symbol of the importance of the Stand Your Ground law. Ted Nugent is court jesture of gun rights prancing about as if something good happened.
Nothing good has happened. It is tragedy all around. Both Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman are victims of an event that never had to happen. One life is ended and another forever changed.
George Zimmerman took the life of Trayvon Martin. It didn't have to be that way. George Zimmerman was breaking the rules of Neighborhood Watch because he was carrying a gun. He apparently had the right to own and carry a gun under Florida law. He freely forfeited that right as a member of Neighborhood Watch under their rules. It was his choice nobody compelled him to be a member of Neighborhood Watch. He chose to ignore the rules. George Zimmerman could have stayed in the car and listened when told by 911 they didn't need him to follow Martin. George Zimmerman did not listen. This is evidence that George Zimmerman did not completely respect the rules or the authority of the community in which he lived. He was a scofflaw. George Zimmerman is not innocent. Neither am I.
Trayvon Martin had some history of marijauna use. He was a B+/A- student according to his English teacher. He had been suspended from school three times. There had been a question about some jewelry found in his possession but no charges were brought and he had no record. Still, he was not innocent, neither am I.
Is being innocent the issue, however? Beyond the legal system are there any other options that might have been a more effective solution for the circumstances in which Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman found themselves engaged.
Last Sunday we heard the story of the Good Samaritan once again. How might have the story of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman been different if the script of the Good Samaritan been running in both their hearts? What might have been different if instead of perceiving Trayvon Martin as a "problem" from the start George Zimmerman had seen Trayvon as someone he could help by offering aid. What might have been different if Trayvon had seen Zimmerman not as a threat but as the possibility of one offering assistance like the Samaritan.
In our country we, blacks and whites, still struggle with the racial scripts we have running in our heads. Often we make assumptions about others because of those scripts. "Male black teens are 'trouble.' "
Many of our scripts are not racial. "Kids today are lazy." "People on welfare are lazy." "Rich people are selfish." "Gays have a hidden agenda." "Gays are promiscuous." "Christians are against science." On and on we have script after script running in our heads. Few are true in whole or even in part. None are innocent. Neither am I.
What would happen if we allowed God's script to become ours, God's story to become our story. What if we all lived out our lives laying them down for others like Jesus and like the Good Samaritan. If we did we might be able to worry less about innocence and to rejoice in those who come to bring aid instead wondering is he or am I innocent. We are not innocent. Not one.
Christ died for me so that I can give up pretentions about being innocent and just worry about how to live like a real neighbor so that everyone who watches my life will remember Christ's story. Maybe I should worry less about standing my ground than the story and script I am following.
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