HATERS AND LOVERS – How did we get here?
I feel hopelessly incompetent to address many of the issues facing our country today. There are also times I have not felt welcome to speak out as what I would say would be heard through the filter of my whiteness. But mainly because it is tough, perhaps impossible, for me to address issues of poverty as I have never been poor. I cannot walk in a black man’s shoes or experience what he has. I simply can’t nor will I ever be able to. And I certainly do not understand what it means to be oppressed. I am also deeply aware of my privilege. Many of the children I grew up with did not have the advantages and privileges I did. It would be dumb and insensitive to deny that.
But I do have something in my heart that must come out. I am a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. Everything I do must be viewed through that lens.
Farm murders have taken the spotlight this week. I grieve with every family who has lost loved ones. I grew up on a farm and there have been times that my family have felt quite vulnerable, especially when over 70 farmers are been murdered in one year. But even when I look at what I have written I know that this vulnerability exists across cultural, racial and language divides. Two examples may help. Recently a colleague told me they have cancelled all evening programmes because, where he lives, it is not safe to go onto the streets at night. They may get caught in the crossfire of gang violence. What about the grannies who gather children every morning to walk them to school in a human bus, simply trying to get their children to school safely? No, vulnerability is prevalent. Children are vulnerable and being hurt and abused, many women don’t feel safe with their men, often times workers are afraid of their employers. We live in desperate times!
How did we get here? How is it that in our beautiful country our nation has become defined by hate and anger and prejudice? I am sure you have your own answer. Whatever it is know this: The kind of hatred and anger and prejudice we are seeing around us cannot be the response of Christ-followers. The cross and the old South African flag cannot stand alongside each other. The one is an offence to the other. Remember that as a Christ-follower I only have one gift to give our nation: Jesus himself. And I have followed him long enough to realise that he came for the broken and the bruised and the oppressed. It is time to stand for truth and if we are going to hate, let us hate the evil perpetrated against all our beautiful people. If we are going to be angry then let our anger be at those that hurt our people, all our people. But rather, let us do good. Let us keep on doing good and when doing good gets tough, let’s do it some more. Let us hold up the candle of hope. Let us share the stories of love, the stories of true South African hero’s.
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” (Galatians 6: 6-10)
