Thoughts

I have been thinking a lot about how I respond to things that happen around me and what that says about me and my faith in God. I have been taking a lot of things to God and asking Him to teach me... I don't know that I'm getting it right... but here are some of my thoughts.

On social media I see a lot of people upset about protests - protests against the election, protests by sitting during the national anthem, protests about protests!

Is it right to protest? When is it right to protest? Who decides that it is ok for a particular group to protest? What way is appropriate to protest?

The only protests that I can remember being part of were (1) a "study-in" at the Swem Library when I was at College of William and Mary - we were protesting a plan to build a larger stadium that would violate the building codes of the Colonial Williamsburg area - we had chosen W&M because of its scholastic record and didn't care about having a first-class football team (yes - I was that kind of kid), and (2) twice I participated in a Right to Life March - once in DC from the White House to the Supreme Court Building and another time in Dallas, from the main Catholic church in Dallas to the courthouse where Roe v. Wade saw its first day in court. In the Right to Life March, I felt that I was protesting on behalf of someone who did not have a voice of their own - those made in God's image who never have a chance at life due, in many cases, to someone else's idolatry.

I don't think anyone cared much about our "study-in", but I suspect that there were people who were inconvenienced by the two marches I participated in - streets were legally closed and traffic diverted. People who did not agree with my point of view would have been upset that their day was disturbed by those "lunatics".

A couple of weeks ago I read a friend's entry
https://www.namb.net/flourish-blog/how-the-influence-of-others-makes-us-more-useful
and I was struck by this part of her writing:

I have a friend who is an older woman, a true prayer partner. One day we were discussing a mutual friend who was having family difficulties. She said, "Honey, she doesn't know what she doesn't know." I was puzzled; I had never heard that phrase before. After she explained, I instantly took that saying to heart and determined from that point on I would seek to "know what I don't know." I have used that bit of wisdom time and time again. For example, I don't know the Black Lives Matter experience; I haven't lived that story. I don't know the life perspective of a lonely millennial or the desperate fears of a refugee mother. I need to stop and listen to their stories before making judgments or presumptions. This phrase continues to sharpen me.

I have been thinking a lot about seeking to "know what I don't know". I don't know what it is like to live within Black skin (or any skin other than white). I have heard from friends who are white and who now have black family members through marriage or adoption that white privilege exists and that black racism exists. Since I have been praying specifically for the Black community that they would find hope in the One who brings hope, I found myself praying that God would raise up "Black" leaders - and later I became convinced that even that prayer was a racist prayer - couldn't God raise up a leader of any color who would be able to bring hope to the hopeless? I didn't intend to be racist, but I am certain that in some ways, I am.

I hadn't had a very strong conviction one way or the other over football players not standing for the national anthem. I read the concerns that many of my friends had, particularly those who have close family members in the military, and I could sympathize with them. Then protests became more violent, and other voices were raised saying, "You can be upset, but you shouldn't damage other people's property." What was the kneeling during the national anthem other than a peaceful, non-violent, non-property-damaging protest? If I didn't think they should kneel during the national anthem, what *did* I think was appropriate? Was the reality that I didn't really think that the individuals protesting had a legitimate concern? Was I judging that since I had not experienced whatever experiences they had had, that their experiences didn't exist or they misunderstood the experiences? And... I was struck on Thanksgiving day, while the football game was on, that I can't remember that I have ever stopped what I was doing and stood for the national anthem - I did on Thursday (of course, I was washing dishes and standing anyway, but... I did stop washing for a few minutes and think).

I'm asking God to cleanse me from all unrighteousness, to show me where there is filth that grieves Him and to open myself up to His cleansing. I know that part of my willingness to even go down this path is due to my Aunt Libby and her example through life; she had a huge influence on me trying to see things from someone else's point of view. I definitely don't have all the answers, but I want to be conformed to the image of Christ, and I know that only cooperating with God will accomplish that.

Enough of this deep thinking! Back to RV pictures tomorrow!!!