What Should I Say When I Have Nothing More to Say

What Should I Say When I Have Nothing More to Say August 13, 2017

Ahnnalise Stevens-Jennings

A woman died yesterday. Her name is Heather. I did not know her, but I know her mother.

Heather’s mother is exactly the kind of person who would raise a daughter that would be willing to give her life to defend the sacredness and rights of another.

I don’t know what to say any more. I feel like there is nothing left to be said. Black lives matter. That should not be up for debate. White Supremacy is wrong and should be destroyed. That should not be up for debate. Heather’s life was cut short by a terrorist. That should not be up for debate. Racism is wrong in all of its forms. How are we still finding ways to try and say otherwise? This is not about free speech. This is not about history and the preservation or destruction of it. This is about hate. This is about evil. Hate-filled, evil-hearted, deeply broken people (just like you and me) killed Heather. Not monsters, people.

Racism does not look like it did in the 1960’s. There aren’t many laws left to change, what we have to change now is hearts. If you thought we had to fight hard before, you have no idea what we are up against now. We can’t force people to love. We can’t legislate their morality. Power means nothing here when all that we can do to stop this is to change hearts. This is a much more nuanced fight, with an enemy that is often times harder to see. We have to lean solely on grace and the promise of the coming Kingdom.

Christians in the United States and around the world seem to have forgotten the gospel. We have left grace behind and decided instead to try and grasp earthly power. And now we are here. And things don’t seem to be getting better.

God please have mercy.

But, we don’t deserve it.


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