Some of you might be thinking….what is up with KB?, she’s
gone all religious “mano” on us… Nope; if you know me you’d know that my faith
is a very major part of who I am….you would know I was once very active in
ministry being a youth minister. Not that I’m not active now, my ministry is in
a different focus now, I am out here in these streets working with people who
the mainstream has casted off. I’m working with “the homeless, the addict, the
sex worker, the hustlers” – all society words to segregate and denigrate. What
we should really being saying is “there but by the grace of God…”
When I get all worked up mentally…I go to my source of
strength and comfort…God. He and I talk on the regular but I tend to visit more
often when I’m stressed – does that remind you of going home?
So I was all off into the word today….some of y’all may
remember that I recently said that I have a gripe with the Bible…I do, but it’s
not for the reasons you may think. Allow me to explain before I get into my
message so you all don’t feel like you’ve gotten a mixed message from me.
My “beef” with the Bible is that it was given to African
Americans as a tool of subjugation. There were certain people (Europeans) who
got to dictate what scrolls were canonized and in doing so they erased all
cultural influence and context of Africans….oh don’t be shocked Africans and
people of color were very much a part of Greece and Rome but where are we in
the Bible? Where are we mentioned in the majority of modern day teachings and
depiction? We’re still teaching a subtle form of denial and racism…even in the
African American communities. Cleopatra didn’t look like Elizabeth Taylor –
wake up y’all! I do believe that all
scripture is God breathed and inspired so I know the lessons are pertinent to
my life…I just wish that all the scrolls were translated and kept in historic
context. ‘nuff said!
Getting back to what I was saying, when I get all head up
and stressed I go “home” and my prayer life kicks into hyper-drive” So, this
morning I was just doing a free-flowing word study and I remembered
Luke 9: 23 Then he said to them all: "Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and
follow me.
Just what does it mean to take up your cross? To me it means
that life is going to follow its course and some unpleasant and uncomfortable things
are going to show up….
Now most of us try to seek immediate relief and release from
the discomfort: I AM NO DIFFERENT! Where I am different is that I have learned
to quickly realize what I’m doing and I shift focus and start praying to and
praising God. I do this because I am in deep connection with the suffering of
Christ for my sake. Trials are not always punishment; people, trials are
sometimes a motivator or a way to show us how to do something better. Struggles
and discomfort can also be a stepping stone to the next level of a blessing (
think about it….what good is it to give someone something precious if they can’t
or won’t appreciate it?)
My faith is unshakable and unbreakable....I may get emotional for a minute ...I'm human ...but I know it is never about me
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