Changing Our Narrative
By Rob Jones
It has been a year since the tragic death of George Floyd. For many of us the gruesome video of George breathing his last while being pinned to the pavement by the knee of Derek Chauvin will be burned in our memory forever. Floyd’s death at the hands of police, just like many other similar incidents, can leave us feeling hopeless and desperate because we long to take action to right an obvious wrong, but we find no path to take that will resolve our grievances.
The weight of such thoughts and the increasing speed of news cycles that bring such events to light and then scurry on to the next sensational topic can cause us to withdraw. We live as if we are resigned to the fact that society is severely flawed and the only path to survival is to close our circles of interaction.
However, my challenge and my prayer today, with the memory of George Floyd before us, is for us to not limit our social interaction but instead expand our interaction. Extend our connection to those who do not look like ourselves, speak like ourselves, and live and work in roles different from our own. Yes, even those who fill the role of police officer. Yes, even when stories of egregious misconduct are flooding our minds, let us find human awareness within ourselves to greet and respect our local law enforcement, even while we fight vigorously for justice and reform.
Like it or not we are in this together. Isolation will only foster the us verses them mentality that will only ensure that in the end we all lose. I want to present you with the words from the poet John Donne.
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
God, we ask a blessing of comfort and peace for the family of George Floyd and all those families that have been impacted by police violence. We also ask that you keep our hearts open to compassion for those that are different from ourselves. Help us to reach out when fear and despair seek to isolate us. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
