With Liberty and Justice For All

On last week’s blog I shared my perspective on racism. My Middle-Aged, Christian, White Woman Perspective. If you missed it, you can read what I wrote HERE. I called it “Courage in Action: We Must Not Be Silent.”

The post was well received and I had a number of reposts, likes, and positive comments.  

Curiously, of the many people who read the post, I had a couple negative results. Normally, I wouldn’t even address those comments, but I found it interesting the negatives were both linked to a single statement I made in the post. I wrote:

“I am discouraged by the inflammatory words and self-serving actions coming from the White House.”

One person, offended by the statement, left my list of followers. Okay.

But the other person suggested that in “undermining Trump,” I was showing that I am “un-American” and “obviously not the Christian woman you claim to be.” 

“Un-American” 

Let’s see…I vote, I pay my taxes, I do what I can to serve my community. I exercise my right to free speech. I stand up for the rights and freedom of my fellow Americans as well as others hurting in this world. 

I feel blessed to be an American. It’s what I know. 

Being an American, however, does not make me better than anyone else walking this earth. And being white does not make me “entitled.” I stand my ground as a free-to-speak American woman: #BlackLivesMatter.

But this man was right in one way. You see I am an American, but as a child of God, I am a citizen of heaven. I’m actually called that in in the Bible (Philippians 4:20).

And I love this passage Paul wrote to the Ephesians speaking to the unity of believers. It is Ephesians 2:19-22:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (New International Version)

“Foreigners and aliens.” No mention of color, shape, size, gender, age, ethnicity, economic status… you get it. The list goes on. 

Judge me if you like. Only the judgment I receive from Jesus is of any consequence. 

All I ask is that you take a stand as I stand... “with liberty and justice…for ALL.”