Monday Morning Manna: Lives Matter

I walk in my neighborhood every morning. A few weeks ago I saw a new sign in a neighbor’s yard – “Black Lives Matter.” The next day, a sign appeared across the street – “Brown Lives Matter.” Then “White Lives Matter,” and finally the all-inclusive sign appeared in our diverse neighborhood – “All Lives Matter.” As I drove out of my neighborhood, I saw a couple of interesting bummer stickers. On an old-model pick-up truck – “Redneck Lives Matter,” and on a late model Buick – “Old Lives Matter.” Last week I posted a “Happy Juneteenth 2020” note on my Facebook page with the comment “Celebrating with some friends of mine.” Juneteenth is an official Texas state holiday, celebrated annually on the 19th of June to commemorate the Union army general announcing federal orders in the city of Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, proclaiming that all slaves in Texas were now free. Most of my Facebook friends are Christians, however, some did not respond like it. Private messages were negative and hurtful. While obviously not all lives matter to all people, every life matters to God. The Bible is very direct, when it states, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20). It matters how one responds to that verse.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.