Today's Scripture Reading (August 8, 2025): Psalm 19
One
of the most disturbing comments of the post-modern society is that we seem to
do what is right in our own eyes. What this means is that any opinion is a
legitimate one, and no one has any right to say that we are wrong. The problem
is that there are still things in which there is a definite right and wrong.
How can anyone argue with the concept of Black Lives Matter unless it is to say
that All Lives Matter, including Black ones? I understand that many argue that the
phrase "All Lives Matter" decreases the importance of the problem,
namely, the violence perpetrated against African Americans within the United
States. I concede that that might be true, but even armed with that knowledge,
we still cannot fall away from the truth that all life is important. Life matters
regardless of the color of that life, and there will be a time when we will all
be judged because we have not understood that simple concept. Anyone who says
that Black Lives Don't Matter can't be seen as speaking truth just because it
is within the realm of what they believe. The Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist
organizations are wrong, not just as a matter of private opinion, but because
of an objective reality.
There
are many current issues in our culture that have an objective right or wrong. Hate
is wrong wherever we might find it. Climate change is real and something that
we need to come to grips with fast. After all, we are the caretakers that God
has left on the earth to guard creation, not the invaders that God has sent to
plunder the planet.
But
with almost everything that I feel passionate about, that concern has been
learned over time within the community. There are opinions that I held onto
very firmly when I was twenty that I no longer hold. There are things that I now
view as wrong that I didn't believe were wrong then. In some ways, I have grown
up. But I have not come to the conclusion on what is right and what is wrong in
isolation. I have had mentors and teachers, and I have existed within a
community of believers that has taught and molded me. And I believe that this
is just as God has designed it.
There
are still things with which I struggle, things where right and wrong are not as
clear within my mind. I know that error continues to exist in my beliefs. My
problem is that I may not understand exactly where that error might be. Some
things aren't all that important, so being wrong in these things really won't
make a big difference. But other things are critical beliefs. And all I can do
is pray this prayer with David. God, forgive me for the faults that I have not
recognized within myself.
Because
the reality is that it is a lot easier for me to see your faults than my own.
And it is a lot easier for you to see my faults than your own. In a community,
this is something that we can learn, as we ask God for forgiveness in the areas
where we remain blind.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 20 & 21
Originally Published on April 8, 2016
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