by Pastor David Nuottila
I never met George Floyd. I never met Rashard Brooks, Michael Brown, Walter Scott or any of the other unarmed men who were killed in recent years by police officers employing excessive force. No, I never met any of them, but their deaths sadden me. I am also saddened by the resulting violent protests, rioting, looting and extreme measures called for by people who believe they can correct injustice through radical means. Confusion, dismay, sadness and disbelief; these are all words I can use to sum up my thoughts concerning our current social crisis.
All of these point toward one troubling symptom that plagues our human society. No, it isn’t racism; it isn’t classism, it isn’t politicism nor is it any other “ism” that sets people apart. The real sickness is much worse. It is sin. Sin leads to all of these and to so many more troubles, conflicts and plagues against humanity. I am grieved by the death of George Floyd and the events that followed because our world suffers under the weight of sin, and it seems so many people don’t understand that we cannot free ourselves. Truly, we depend on God’s mercy.
Now, some would point out that it is easy to simply say that we depend on God’s mercy and leave it there. But consider this. In the beginning when God created the first human beings, he created them in his own image and likeness. Being made in God’s image, therefore, it stands to reason that each human life is of great value and deemed precious in God’s sight. God made George Floyd in his image and likeness, just as he made the police officer who killed him. Both men were made in the image of God. Yet, both men, being sinners, found themselves in need of redemption.
Because of sin, one man was involved in unscrupulous activity. The other looked upon him with perceived superiority over the other. In the end, the way one looked at the other resulted in the disregard for the value God places on human life. Looking back, we can likely say this about so many other instances that have made headlines. The taking of George Floyd’s life was shameful, immoral, and a tragic disgrace to the human family as a whole. So is
the practice of looking at one person and forming opinions simply based on color, ethnicity, gender or any other personal trait. The bottom line is all human beings are created in God’s image and likeness. This includes the officers Derek Chauvin, Garrett Rolfe, Darren Wilson and Michael Slager.
Sin doesn’t apply a different degree of force according to one’s race. Neither does it show any favoritism because of gender or ethnicity. Sin only knows one thing, death. Sin seeks to destroy that which is made in God’s image and likeness. As long as there are differences in people, sin will work to exploit those differences to the detriment of humanity. There is only one power stronger, the power of love.
In scripture we read in so many places where our Lord Jesus had compassion upon large crowds of people. These crowds were often made up of Jews, Gentiles, the rich, the poor and the afflicted. It didn’t matter to Jesus; he knew the value God placed on each and every life. He knew that all were created in the image and like-ness of God. His only concern was to save people from their sin so they would live together with God forever. Jesus accomplished this through the power of love. Our Lord calls us to use this same power so that we would live in relationship with one another until the day Christ comes again.
Only through the power of love will we be able to live lives of forgiveness towards one another and learn to live in relationships that promote good will. Only through the power of God’s love will we see the image and likeness of God as we look upon one another. And only through the power of God’s love will we come to repentance when we fall short and confess our sin against our brother or sister and be reconciled to one another. No, we are naïve to think we can solve this without God.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
