The last 10 days or so have seen some heart-breaking scenes in our city, and across the UK. My social media has exploded with thoughts and opinions, with angry rants and, I’m glad to say, with some considered wisdom. My heart has ran the gambit; anger, frustration, despair, sorrow, apathy and if I’m honest the twinges of self-righteousness and judgmentalism.

For those of us who spend significant time around those society would push to the margins, be they born and raised (or left to raise themselves) in our city or having travelled from every imaginable corner of the globe to seek refuge or safety or just a chance at something akin to life, these stories are not unfamiliar. Stories of hatred and abuse and even violence are not new. They didn’t just start last week, and they wont stop when the media cycle moves on.

I am encouraged to see people stand up and speak out against intimidation and violence. I am encouraged by the condemnation of racism, intolerance and abuse from so many. We should not be silent in the face of hatred but as I’ve pondered and reflected and watched my own heart the nagging question for me is where to we go from here? What sits on the other side of a facebook like, an insta meme reshare or an angry twitter (I can’t do X) rant? Should we speak out – absolutely, should we stand up for – absolutely, but will we sit down with – ?????

When the dust has seemingly settled and the media could care less, and those who have moved to call our city home still live in fear and uncertainty, will we who post with such passion now be in any way changed? Will our lives look any different or will we just be keyboard warriors for the next cause?

For those of us who claim the name of Jesus, he has some important things to say about self-reflection, about checking our own hearts and our own lives before we start trying to sort out other people’s. Something about eyes and specks and planks that I can’t quite shake.

“The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.”

I’m not always a big fan of Richard Rohr but on the quote above I couldn’t agree more. What would it like for the us as followers of Jesus to practice a better way? To not stop short at simply calling evil, evil and feeling smug about our response but to listen, to learn, to reflect, to understand and to embrace. Yes, to challenge broken and unjust systems by all, non-violent, means possible, but also to honestly look at our own systems, our own spheres of influence and control.

Who is sitting in our pews or better yet who is sitting on our sofas and around our tables? Who has our phone numbers and more importantly our attention? Who feels seen and valued and loved in our midst? We’re raging against a society that refuses to welcome “the other” but if we take a breath and check our own eyes first, do our lives reflect the radical welcome of Jesus?

And before I rush to any form of arrogance (of which my heart is well prone), how willing am I to also listen to those who are taking to the streets in a violent response to what they perceive as threat and injustice? Listening is not condoning, understanding is not agreeing but somewhere, far removed from the streets of our city, broken systems of greed and power and oppression pull on strings of fear that can cause us all to dance to a dark and dangerous tune if we aren’t willing to reflect.

Evil is never ok. Intimidation, hatred and violence are never the way of Jesus. Neither is apathy, self-righteous superiority or any form of sanctimonious rhetoric that chastises the systems of this world for failing to attain a standard we aren’t willing to hold ourselves to. This is a moment where we are speaking out, and so we should, but let’s not miss a moment to also “have a word” with ourselves or better yet, humbly invite the Holy Spirit to search us and gently reveal our hearts, point out our double standards and lead us into the practice of the better.

Lord, might we not miss a moment to be shaped into a truer, fuller, more loving reflection of you!

Photo by Vanessa Bumbeers on Unsplash