Theologian David Lose wrote in his blog, In the Meantime, about the controversy that seems to surround the movement called “Black Lives Matter.” He writes that the angst seems to be: Don’t all lives matter? Of course, he says, all lives matter. But right now, the actions of many in our country seem to indicate that black lives don’t matter as much as others. Then he writes:
“A colleague of mine put it this way: “When you see a house on fire and direct the firefighters to that house, you’re not saying that all the houses in the neighborhood don’t matter, you’re saying this one especially matters because it’s on fire.” My colleague is an African American pastor, I should add, who lives in a predominantly white neighborhood and has on various occasions been pulled over, though not for speeding. When he asks why, the police officers say they’re just doing their job. “Right now,” he added, “our house is on fire.””His writing got me to thinking. I suppose supposed favoritism can translate to many things: Do the lives of people in one country matter more than others? Does the contribution of young people’s (or old people's) ideas and needs matter more than others? Do those who contribute more, time or financially, matter more to the church than others (this one I thought of especially since the reading of James 2: 1-17 will be heard Sunday about acts of favoritism)?
Certainly the answer is no, but there are times when one person, or group of people, has more immediate needs than another. That’s where prayer and the body of Christ, the church, has opportunity to spread love and help with all sorts of needs through giving and serving.
Yes, there is always much to do, and much to help equalize. Yet there is never more than what God can help us provide.
Blessings.
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