On Taking a Knee - From His Heart - Week of October 6, 2016

It seems as if everyone in America is talking about the NFL and the National Anthem. To be sure, a great number of fans are up in arms over the perceived disrespect to our nation and military exhibited by a growing number of players. Moreover, the war of words between the President and the NFL has further exacerbated the controversy.  What are we to make of it? 
 
1.  The American flag stands for freedom. But freedom is never free. Freedom is purchased and maintained at a great price—the price of a soldier’s blood, sweat, and tears. In most people’s minds, standing for the flag is done to honor the brave men and women in our military who put their lives on the line to provide us the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.     
 
2.  Injustices and racism do exist. These are things God hates… and we should hate them, too. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “People should not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”  Whenever and wherever racism and injustice rears its ugly head, we should condemn it and move swiftly to eradicate it. In our law enforcement (as in every profession), there are a few bad apples among the ranks. Bad apples need to be removed. If they have committed acts of brutality, they should be justly prosecuted in a court of law.  However, law enforcement officers as a whole are NOT racist, bigoted, Gestapo Agents who deserve scorn, disrespect, and dismemberment. They are quality men and women who risk their lives for relatively little pay to keep our communities safe. They are people deserving of our respect and gratitude.
 
3.  As a nation, we are a house divided. Jesus made it clear that a house divided cannot stand. We are getting dangerously close to internal collapse unless we can come together as a nation and agree to work together for the good of the whole.  We are all aboard the same ship—the ship called America. If it sinks, we all sink! Sadly, it seems as if nothing can be discussed in a calm, rational manner to begin to heal the growing divide.              
 
4.  Christians can make the difference. As the signs of the times get darker and darker, the light of the gospel shines brighter and brighter. Christians carry that light! There is no salvation outside of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We bow our knee to Christ so we can speak the truth in love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We bow our knee in prayer… and call on God to bring about a great revival before it is too late. 
 
Let me encourage you to be a force for good and for God. Do not allow yourself to get caught up in a war of words, viewing men and women who disagree as “the enemy.” The real enemy is Satan. Without question, he uses men and women to do his bidding, but they are not the enemy. They are people for whom Christ died.  May we see these difficult times as opportunities to be used of God to shine His light on a dark and desperate world, until He comes again.

P.S. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Direct questions and comments to pastorjeff@fromhisheart.org.