How do you fix five hundred years of oppression, murder, discrimination, fear, anger, distrust, and suffering?

I know I’m not the only one asking this question. Our country is hurting. Our people are hurting. And, honestly, I don’t feel qualified to even be writing about this. I can feel sad, but I will never understand this type of pain and frustration because I haven’t lived it.

Men and women have given their lives in pursuit of justice and equality. There has been forward movement but when your starting point is horrible atrocity and people today still don’t feel seen as equals, there is still so far to go.

As I have cried and wrestled with everything going on in our country, I keep coming back to the thought “One heart at a time”.

Jesus came to lay down his life because we matter to Him. The fullness of God in a Middle Eastern man, beaten and broken by and on behalf of of sinful, evil men. He defeated death and offered us a different way to live: in restored, life-giving relationship with Him and restored relationship with EACH other.

I believe hurt and injustice in this world will only truly be overcome through Christ. If I let him heal my heart and correct my wrong and selfish thinking, lasting change happens. I recognize myself as someone broken by sin and loved anyway. I recognize you as someone Christ loves enough to die for. I have value and you have value. We are the same as we bring our beautiful differences and use them in service to our King.

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.” – Ephesians‬ ‭2:14-16‬

The world is full of all types of evil because the hearts of men are full of all types of evil. In the end there will only be two people groups: those in Christ and those who reject Him.

I don’t know if true healing will come this side of heaven. But as Christians, as people who have God’s spirit living within us, we need to be on the right side of history. If my brother or sister is hurting, I am hurting. So tell me how to fight with you.

Angela