June 10, 2020
Faith Requires Action
“…faith, if it has no works, is dead…”
While driving home from church last Sunday I noticed the words on the marquis of a highly respected pre-owned car dealership, located on one of Manhattan’s heavily traveled highways. The dealership has an excellent reputation in the community.
The words on the sign: “Black Lives Matter.”
It’s one thing to see and hear local, state, and national governments, churches, schools and universities, and nonprofit organizations promote the expression; it’s quite another to see a small business owner put it on full display where thousands of drivers who pass that way every day can see it. Like it or not, the expression and the group, “Black Lives Matter,” have been controversial since its inception in 2013 as an organization campaigning against systemic racism.
I called the owner of the dealership (a young Caucasian man) to compliment him on sticking his neck out, knowing there could be adverse reaction to the subject on the sign, to which he replied that he had thought about that, but realized if he had elected to not do anything, especially in light of his strong feelings on the matter, it would have been a sign of cowardice on his part. He also added that it was ridiculous that we as a nation have come to this----the need to remind ourselves that “Black Lives Matter.” He mentioned that he hopes it starts a conversation with someone who might not have otherwise brought the issue up.
Impressive stuff from a young business owner.
James teaches us in the New Testament that faith without any works doesn’t do anybody any good. By doing something, this young man will hopefully touch someone with the messages of love and reconciliation.
Prayer: God of love and understanding, take us beyond our own comfort zones to deliver messages of love and understanding to others. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Special note: I hope these devotions have been a source of comfort to you in these tense and stressful times in our nation. I know I have enjoyed writing them. Since we seem to be through the worst part of the pandemic and the nation’s conscience about racial relations has been raised to the highest level I have ever seen it, I will conclude these personal devotional thoughts tomorrow. I pray that each of us will work to make a difference in our own communities. Let us celebrate the common faith that we so deeply embrace together.
In Christ,
Cam