When OJ Simpson was on trial for murder I worked in an elementary school in a poor, urban area. Most of my colleagues were African American.
We huddled around the tv at lunch to see what was going on. I remember the day of the verdict. Most of my fellow teachers cheered as though their football team had won.
I wondered–
where was justice?
I really doubt that many of them actually thought Simpson was not guilty. What they thought was
life is not fair for black men in America.
It isn’t.
And now we see it not being fair again. We see justice again faltering–this time the victim is African American and the team cheering is white.
This is not a football game.
It is not right for any of us to be so blinded by the outside of another person’s life that we rejoice in their pain, their murder, or their injustice.
Do not tell me God is in charge in the world today if He is not in charge of your heart.
When we bay for blood, hate, and bottled feces in a world shot through with agony and loss we prove we know nothing about love.
And make no mistake. God is not our little Santa Claus, He is not the captain of the white folk football team.
He is love and He is coming soon, with justice in His strong right arm.
That should make us all pray hard. Because not not one of us is holy.
Not one.