My Head Is Not Buried in the Sand

My Head Is Not Buried in the Sand · 8 June 2020

Christ Carrying the Cross
by El Greco
This work is in the public domain.

My head is not buried in the sand. I just do not know what to write.

The world is in the middle of a pandemic. The country and the world are embroiled in civil strife. George Floyd and others are being murdered and mourned. Race is an issue at the forefront of our minds. My head is not buried in the sand. I just do not know what to write.

I am not sure how I first reacted to the murder of George Floyd. I do know that I was saddened that somebody died at the hands of another. That one of God’s children was killed by another of God’s children.

I do know that I have been disappointed in the violent aftermath. I am sure that I do not understand all the frustration and pent up anger that were released. I am sure I cannot fathom the depths of hurt that were felt. I do know the pain of racism and prejudice, but certainly not to the degree of those in our society who feel it every day. Often in overt and obvious ways. I cannot condone the violent actions or mob mentality of the violence, but perhaps I understand its origins. And I certainly understand that we need to change.

Social reform is a must. Institutionalized racism must be purged. There is no doubt of these things. But the simplistic answer that keeps coming to my mind, comes in the form of an old song from Sunday School. A song that is out of fashion and out of favor because it is not at all politically correct. A song called Jesus Loves the Little Children.

Praying Hands
by Albrecht Dürer
This work is in
the public domain.

Jesus Loves the Little Children
Jesus loves the little children
All the little children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

The song is simple. The song is direct. The song is a plea for all of us to do the same. Love each other. We do not need to be color blind. God gave us color to show us that diversity is a thing of beauty. People have perverted it into racism and prejudice. We have perverted God’s beautiful gift into terrible injustice and inequality.

Which is the answer to those who wonder why God lets bad things happen. It was never part of His plan. We made it that way. By our choices to not follow Him. No. Not everybody is responsible for what happens in the world. We did not individually make it the way it is. But we do have the power to shape the world going forward. We just need to recognize that we can only do what we can do. We can only be responsible for our own actions, our own thoughts, our own prejudices. Our own love, our own caring, our own compassion.

We can only be responsible for our own choices. But our individual choices can affect the individual choices of those around us. In other words, we all have influence. We just need to use that influence to do the best good that we can do. And that starts with the heart. The individual heart. Which is, I think, why I keep hearing that old song. That beautiful, politically incorrect song. Jesus does love the little children of all colors. And we are all His little children.

I am only one person. I know that the words I write do not have much impact or carry much weight. But I know that what I do affects those around me. And so I will do what I can to carry the answer to healing. The answer to change. The answer to justice. That answer, of course, is the love of Jesus of Nazareth. We need that answer for ourselves and we need to give it to those around us. It is a simple answer, just as it has always been. But when the love of God pervades our whole being, we can change the world for the better. We just need to start where we live. In our own hearts and in our own homes and in our own neighborhoods and in our own towns and in our own world.

My head is not buried in the sand. And when it comes right down to it, I suppose I do have words to write. And one last thought to share.

God loves you and so do I.

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