Tag Archives: justice

Remembering the Tulsa 1921 Race Massacre

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Remembering the Tulsa 1921 Race Massacre

Right now in Tulsa, Oklahoma we are commemorating a very dark part of our city and state’s history, the 100th anniversary of the race massacre that took place in Tulsa on May 31st and June 1st of 1921. I was born and raised in the Tulsa area, yet I was never taught about this horrifying event in school. I didn’t learn of this bleak and shameful part of Tulsa’s history until I was an adult. In fact, I was quite ignorant of it. However, I’ve learned that we cannot let our ignorance further perpetuate injustice.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6a (NKJV)

I mentioned last year, that the more I have educated myself on issues of racial injustice and systemic racism, the more my eyes have been opening and the more empathy I have developed. As my empathy has grown, my internal sense of justice has also increased along with my desire to respond to injustice.

Be a part of the conversation of injustice

I didn’t learn about the race massacre because others were silent. As I’ve also stated before on issues of racial reconciliation, my goal is just to be a part of the conversation and to be a voice instead of remaining silent. I never want my silence about issues of injustice to give people the impression that I am somehow a supporter of injustice or racism. Therefore, I feel it is my obligation to speak up and speak out into my sphere of influence.

Silence in the face of evil quote

Deitrich Bonhoeffer on events of the Holocaust

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“To say nothing is saying something. You must denounce things you are against or one might believe that you support things you really do not.” Germany Kent

“In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Silence, apathy, and indifference can be a sin.

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” James 4:17 (NLT)

Repentance is required

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Why Does Jesus Get So Angry at the Temple?

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Why Does Jesus Get So Angry at the Temple?

“It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”” John 2:13-16 (NLT)

A couple of years ago in our youth group, we were reading through the book of John together and having an ongoing discussion about it during our small groups. One of the students in my small group asked a good question about the time when Jesus gets angry at the Temple:

“This may be a stupid question but why does Jesus get so mad in this passage? Jesus didn’t really get mad at people and loves everyone so I’m a bit confused on why he’s so angry at people here but isn’t anywhere else in the Bible.”

I told her that it’s actually not a stupid question at all because like she said, from what we know about Jesus it seems a little out of character. Then, I went on to explain to her what I thought but encouraged her to do some research of her own to come to some of her own conclusions, and I gave her some additional resources.

I addressed the 2 things she brought up:

  1. Why Jesus gets angry (even though he loves everyone)
  2. Jesus isn’t angry anywhere else in the Bible

Because other people probably have similar questions, I thought I’d share a longer version of my response to her about why Jesus gets angry and also give some additional resources here as well.

Why does Jesus get so angry at the Temple if he loves everyone?

I think Jesus gets angry BECAUSE of his love for everyone. In this passage, he demonstrates a “righteous anger”. He had a good reason to be angry because of corruption and injustice that was hurting people. However, he still did not sin in his anger.

Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” Psalm 4:4 (ESV)

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” Ephesians 4:26 (ESV)
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do,
yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (NLT)

Corruption and injustice

Since it was Passover, Jews from ALL over came to Jerusalem, and custom/law required them to bring a sacrifice. Many could not bring animals that far of a distance due to the cost, inconvenience, and potential of that animal becoming injured or “blemished” in some way during the travels which would have made the animal unfit for sacrifice. Therefore they had to purchase a sacrificial animal when they arrived. Some historians say that prior to coming they would have sold an animal at home that they would have used as a sacrifice and would then use that money from the sale to purchase a replacement animal for sacrifice.

In the scripture passage, the people selling the animals and doing money exchanges (just like we have to do when we go out of the country and have to exchange currency for the local currency) were taking advantage of people and cheating people out of their money by overcharging and gouging them. I think of this like when there’s a hurricane coming and the gas stations start WAY overcharging & price-gouging for gas because they know people have to buy the gas to get out of town–so basically cheating and taking advantage of people.

The focus wasn’t on God in an area designated for worship

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Practical First Steps Toward Racial Reconciliation

Practical First Steps Toward Racial Reconciliation title image

Practical First Steps Toward Racial Reconciliation

Last week I posted about some of my own recent personal convictions on the issues of racism and social injustice. I didn’t want to overwhelm everyone by being too wordy, so I’m continuing my discussion this week of other things that God is having me work on personally in the realm of racial reconciliation. I’d also like to share some resources with you that have been really helpful for me as and grow, learn, and hopefully make a difference in this area.

As I stated last week, I ask you in advance to please give me grace for any errors in the way I may say this. I may not say the perfect thing in the perfect way. My goal is just to be a part of the conversation and to be a voice instead of remaining silent.

Turn of events

My heart has broken over the past couple of months as horrible events have unfolded very publicly exposing systemic racism. The horrifying shooting of Ahmaud Arbery triggered some very emotional conversation with my teenagers. Then not long after that I was brought to tears watching a video of an emotional delivery driver in my own state of Oklahoma who was detained for nearly an hour by residents in a gated community because of the color of his skin.

I was also completely shocked as I watched the video of Amy Cooper in Central Park calling the police with false claims about Christian Cooper as he was birdwatching. Then I saw the unbelievable footage of the killing of George Floyd. My eyes were being opening to the truth that widespread, systemic, active racism is very much still alive and active today. A fact that, I’m embarrassed to say, I have been ignorant of until recently.

I started spending more significant time in prayer about the issue of racial reconciliation and about my part, my role, and what God was calling me, personally, to do. I feel like God has been giving me steps to take in phases.

Praying about racial reconciliation

If there is one thing that I am, it’s that I’m a prayer warrior. I KNOW prayer is powerful, effective, and produces results.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 (NIV)

Immediately, I was praying over the situations transpiring in our world. I prayed for so many different areas…direction, revelation, justice, restoration, reconciliation, unity, peace, healing & comfort, empathy, for eyes and ears to be opened, for God’s heart, for repentance, and against evil spiritual forces wreaking havoc. However, most of my prayers revolved around God showing me what my next step was and what I was supposed to do. I wanted God to show me areas where I have failed and need to repent, where I need to grow, and where I need to take a step.

I prayed:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

Slowly and a little at a time, God started showing me areas where I had been blind, ignorant, and wrong. In continuing to pray, I also felt that God showed me that this was one of my roles in racial reconciliation—to continue to prayer earnestly and fervently about the issues and as I saw things arise. God reminded me that my prayers could make a difference. Therefore when any issues arise, I pray.

Then God showed me my next step…to educate myself.

Educating myself about racial reconciliation

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