Each day you add a brick or a stroke of the paintbrush to your masterpiece. What is your life's work? Every thought, word, and action leaves a footprint in the annals of time, a mark that can't be erased. It's a seed sown and foreshadowing of your future. Life happens in the now; every breath cements your history, and once it's gone, you cannot get that one back. Therefore use your time wisely, take advantage of every breath, thought, word, and deed because these moments ultimately become your life.
“A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of the hidden powers and possibilities within himself...”
I am a black man in America, and I love Christ and this country. However, I am certain of Christ's love, but at times, I am uncertain of America's love for me. Have you ever felt the despair of knowing that you are not seen or heard or wanted? Your cries go unheard, your suffering goes unnoticed, and you realize that you are indeed Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man." When I first learned of our American government, I was told that we lived in a Democracy only later to find out that statement wasn't exactly accurate. An authentic democracy would be one adult person and one vote. The truth is we live in a Republic with some democratic tenancies.
As Dr. King said, "We all came on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now." Therefore, it would not be prudent to ignore when there's a hole on my side of the boat, and you yell at me to fix it. It would be wise if everyone dropped what they were doing to focus on plugging that hole because if we don't, then we are all going down. When will we learn that I am indeed my brother's keeper? Hasn't history taught us that when inequities are high within any social construct, that construct tumbles. America is on fire, and we have a pandemic raging, with nearly two million infected and over 100,000 dead and climbing every day. We have an economy that is artificially sustained, with over 40 million people unemployed. Small businesses, the actual job creators, are being snuffed out by a government that continues to provide tax breaks and subsidies (WELFARE) to billion-dollar corporations, and expect these small businesses to fend for themselves. We still have a prescription drug and crystal meth epidemic raging. In Chicago, we still have gang culture, operating largely unchecked and young black men and women daily losing their lives.
I am often perplexed by how natural-minded we have become. I am also baffled with Christians, who are so spiritual-minded that somehow they neglect the tenets of physical life. I believe we are spiritual beings having a natural experience. We have to realize that being human is understanding our ability to impact both realities, the spiritual and the physical. Jesus was called the Son of God and the Son of Man. It was never His intention for us to completely ignore one for the other. It was more about the proper order and context. The spiritual you is to rule the natural you to create the proper alignment, balance and harmony.
“I believe in America, and I believe more in the resiliency of my people, but most of all, I believe in God. All things are possible to him that believes. I am hopeful, but I know hope is a sensitive thing. Hope deferred causes the heart to grow sick. Frederick Douglass noted: “I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”Therefore, we must be sure that our hope is placed in the right place. I believe we all have learned that hoping that another man will change is futile. I set my hope in God that he will give me the passion, mercy, grace, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to free myself from my own confines...“
Our failures shouldn't define us, and they shouldn't dictate our narrative. They are mere bricks laid on your road to success. I love people who have tried and failed, people who have some dirt on them, some sleepless nights, those that have experienced heartbreak, those that have a little doubt in their hearts, and failure in their past because they are the future champions. There are so many who never mustered up the courage to try. They are commentators, critics, judges, they stand on the outside, telling you what you should have done. While they do nothing, they point out your mistakes, but fail to see their bigger sin, of not trying.
We are living in a time where deception abounds, and lives are being devalued. No matter how you put it, 50,000 lives in a little over six weeks is far too many. Some groups are being told that somehow their lives are of lesser consequence than others. And this is being communicated on so many different levels. I want to say to you that you are unique, and you are loved; furthermore, you are the apple of God's eye. Please know that your life is precious, and we are here to better ourselves, and in doing so, the world becomes better.
Most of us have come to understand that in life, there are levels. Before we can learn to navigate the next level, we must first master the level we are on because our current level prepares us for our future promotion. We also know that struggle is a part of everyone's existence because adversity is within life's DNA; we are all being prepared for what's next. Therefore, no matter how much wealth one has, or friends or power, all are struggling on their levels of consciousness.
We have seen governments toppled, political upheaval, a loss of faith in the political system, murder, harassment, suicides, families broken up, and so much more. We must balance this runaway train with a return to character and ethics and, most of all, a healthy respect for one another.
