Be Angry and Do Not Sin
Reaction to the murder of George Floyd
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Minneapolis is burning. Atlanta is on fire. New York is chaotic. Name the major city and there is violent demonstrations going on there. Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Detroit, etc. America is reeling.
Why?
You know why unless you’ve been on a retreat in Tibet. The tragic death-murder- of George Floyd at the hands of a white cop has people angry.
Anger is an emotion that can have you do both great and terrible acts. What we are seeing in the US right now is terrible.
The anger is justified. The burning of buildings, cars, and the looting of businesses is not. I heard a black young man say, “I’m tired of showing love to people who just slap you in the face.”
I say this to him. “Don’t be, my brother. Love always wins.”
The verse in Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.
In other words be angry for a long time. Let anger be the driving force to the outcome you want to see.
But do not sin. Do things in love. Do it God’s way. If he slaps your cheek, give to him the other. If he steals your shirt, give him your coat. If he kills your brother, visit him in jail or become a father-figure for his kid.
It’s not easy but it’s been done. Check this and this out. There’s many more.
What should those who desire to act on behalf of George Floyd do?
- Vote out whoever needs to be voted out because of miscarriage of justice or continued bad leadership.
- Write their legislators, letting them know that their time is up if corruption isn’t dealt with.
- Peaceful protests work.
- Civil disobedience can be effective if non-violent. Sit-ins have been successful.
- Petitions get attention. Read about some successful ones here.
Does rioting work? It can. This article discusses it’s value. So does this one. What rioting does is highlight inequalities and injustices.
Has much changed since the riots of 1992 when officers were acquitted of excessive force on Rodney King? Not really. Will the George Floyd riots change anything? I don’t know.
Riots don’t take much courage because they are done in a group. Rosa Parks was courageous.
All I know is there is inequality and injustice. People are right to be angry, but they are wrong to sin.
We need a heart change all around.
