Black Women Have It Going On

A Recap of Tuesday’s Post
Because we naturally want to see the good in everyone, we tend to put Christians at the top of the “kindness chain.” But when a believer has a perceivable fall from grace, the world—believers and non-believers alike—tends to pounce like a pack of wolves. It reminds me of when Jesus told the crowd, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”

If I’m being honest, there’s a hint of messiness in me that would have loved to be there for that “dressing down!” I would have been in the back saying, “Woowee! He told you!” But in all seriousness, as we discussed yesterday, cultural religion helps people sleep at night, while transformative faith wakes them up to the suffering of others. I believe Lee thought he had found God, but what he displayed was a religion of his culture rather than the heart of Christ.

Today, we dig deeper: What kind of spiritual inheritance do we leave behind when our “duty” conflicts with God’s mercy?

The Answer: The Power of Choice
The most significant spiritual inheritance we leave behind is the power of our choices, especially when they conflict with our perceived “duties.” Right or wrong, Lee chose to stay with what he knew: the life of an enslaver. He fought gallantly for those “rights,” but he was eventually outmaneuvered and outgunned.

The preservation of slavery became the ultimate undoing of the Confederacy. When the North was losing and needed men, they exploited the very thing the South was fighting to keep. President Lincoln freed the enslaved, and suddenly, the Union army was replenished with men who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The South underestimated the humanity and the will of the very people they oppressed.

Does the South’s stance remind you of a moment when you underestimated someone because you lacked God’s mercy? I think we’ve all been there. It has taught me never to take anyone for granted and to remember that we always have a choice—even when it isn’t an easy one to make.

The Scripture

Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

The Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You that Your mercy is not limited by our narrow vision. Lord, forgive us for the times we have chosen “duty” or “tradition” over the cry of the oppressed. Help us to leave behind an inheritance of courage and compassion rather than a legacy of pride. Open our eyes so that we never underestimate the souls You have created. When we are faced with hard choices, give us the strength to choose Your way, even when it costs us our comfort. Amen.