Motivational Monday – Healing

Photo Credit: Biblestudytools.com

We need healing in our country. Close your eyes and look through the lens of your community, your state, our country – what do you see? In my community a police officer was caught on video hitting a woman on the top of her head while attempting to restrain her. At our state capitol, people march openly with guns, in protest of the continued stay home order.

In Minnesota, a handcuffed black man died after a police officer retrained him by pressing his knee on the man’s neck. Many places people are protesting, some are friendly protests, others erupted in violence. We need healing. How has your family been affected? If you have children, what the discussion look like in your home?

As I walked through my house gathering dishes, going through the motions of my routine casual Saturday, my son called my cell phone.

“Ma, I’m heading to the protest.”

My heart sank and I let out a sigh. Do I tell him not to go because there could be violence? Do I suppress his desire to be a part of change? To do so may appear hypocritical. You see, I participated in a sit-in during my college years. My mother marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he visited Kentucky State. We need healing.

I told my son, “I don’t really want you to go, but be safe, and wear your mask.”

Not long after that phone conversation, my other son came through the door, “Ma, I’m getting ready to go to the protest.”

I simply said, “Ok, stay with your brother.”

Do I need to say, my sons are black? Our conversations have been different lately.

My son left the house one night to go for a jog. He was wearing a hoodie. The first words out of my mouth were, “Please don’t put the hood over your head.” Forget the fact that sky glistened with bright stars and the air held a gentle breeze. It was a great night for a walk, but I feared for his safety, in our middle-class neighborhood.

Let us press pause; Stop what you’re doing right now and pray for your community, your state, our country, our families. We need healing.

“Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”     Isaiah 33:2