It’s That Simple
Black Lives Matter. It is that simple.
Years ago when I first heard this phrase, as a white woman, my initial response was all lives matter… right? Then it moved to hearing Blue Lives Matter. That seemed acceptable. Then it became a joke with a picture on FB of a black dog and the statement “All Black Labs Matter.”
The bottom line was this: I was not going to say, support or acknowledge the statement “black lives matter.” Why? Looking back I now know it was my ego telling me that if I acknowledged this then I became less. I mattered less. I didn’t want to matter less.
Recently a friend of mine posted a photo on Facebook that completely changed me, tore opened my heart and allowed me to recognize and ultimately change my ego driven perspective.
It was quite simple. It was a photo of a beautiful little Black girl with adorable pig tales with a pair of girlish sunglasses resting on her head. The background was a city street with sparse grass patches surrounding her. With a beaming smile, she proudly held a hand written sign. These words filled the sign:
WE SAID: Black Lives Matter
WE NEVER SAID: Only Black Lives Matter
WE KNOW: All Lives Matter
We just need your help
With #BLACKLIVESMATTER
For BLACK LIVES are in DANGER
I read it once. Then I read it again. And a third time.
That was it in a beautifully laid out profound nutshell. That little girl will never know it but she and her photographer changed my life. I finally got it. Saying “black lives matter” doesn’t make my life matter less or anyone else’s. It is not a competition. People are hurting, in danger, and need help. That is the point and the perspective I was finally able to wrap my head and heart around. I took a deep breath as I put my ego aside and shared the post on my Facebook feed with a hope and a prayer that maybe this will change someone else’s life too.
Having this epiphany is one thing but it can not end there. It must be just a beginning. If I keep this to myself and take no action, it makes this revelation meaningless. The question that follows and begs to be answered is, “What next?”
My mind goes to Jesus. He said it simply, also, when He was asked for His thoughts on the greatest commandments in Matthew 22:36. Here we read the question posed to Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
I doubt He had to think very long or hard as to know how to answer the question. I can imagine Him smiling to Himself and thinking, “Oh, that’s an easy one.” What follows is His simple, clear and encompassing response in verses 37-40:
37 “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”
There are no pre-qualifiers in the second commandment. There are no exceptions as to who and how we are to love those around us. Love others. Period.
Jesus went on in His ministry to demonstrate this in multiple ways. He, of course, died on the cross for us which is the ultimate demonstration to us as to how we should love our neighbors as ourselves, but He also showed us in other, more practical, matters.
One example was at the last supper. It is in John 13:1-17 that we read how Jesus served the disciples in getting on His knees, bowing before them, washing their feet and showing them His love for them and how to love others. Not because they deserved it as He well knew one would betray Him and others would desert Him that very night. He did it because He loved them unconditionally and intentionally wanted to be an example of how to love others.
After Jesus finished, He then sat down and explained His example to them and shared that if they do these things they would be blessed. His instructions are the same to us. No pre-qualifiers. No exceptions.
Still, I don’t have all the “What next?” answers. I will still make mistakes. I will still need to push back my ego again, and again. But regardless I can still take steps to begin taking action:
Listening to and sharing posts written from BlPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) perspectives
Having listening conversations
Reading antiracist material (See Severn Run’s suggestions here.)
Supporting the idea that #blacklivesmatter
Writing a blog
I am grateful that God has finally opened my eyes, my heart and my mind to see a glimpse of how He wants me to love all of those around me and to be able to say and truly believe – black lives matter.
JW