Many Paths: Use your heart and be kind as hate, violence persists

In the bible, Jeremiah 17:9-10 reads, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

This Old Testament scripture frames the current national and local debate concerning ethical government.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 is a portrait of the Church, the city of Galesburg, America and the world.

Jeremiah was called at a young age, to go speak God’s message, to God’s people. Jeremiah was commanded not to allow his age to impede the mission, nor be frightened by the look on the faces of people.

Have you ever heard the idiom, “if looks could kill” or “the truth hurts.” The Free Dictionary defines “the truth hurts” as hearing the unvarnished truth or reality about someone, something, or oneself can cause the listener to feel sadness or unhappiness.

One might also ask, why are Americans so angry and vindictive today? Is it because as the movie, A Few Good Men, stated “you can’t handle the truth," the unvarnished truth?

The conflict we see today originates within the deceitful heart. The heart is the place where the real person is housed, that place that governs all that we do and speak. At this crucial hour for humanity, it’s imperative for the true Church of Jesus Christ to embrace God’s truth and not FOX News political theater.

The Church was not called to be a friend of the world but to be the moral compass and consciousness of the nations. Scripture tells us that judgement shall start at the Church.

Peter 4:17 says, “if it first begins at us, what shall the end be to them that obey not the gospel of God”? It is shameful and wrong for those who share the Lord’s name to stand silent while the city of Galesburg regresses backward into darkness.

We are commanded by the Lord to let our light shine. The beloved community must do more as hatred and violence is on the rise. The beloved community must not support the misguided, and sinful push to make America great again.

All those of goodwill must speak up and challenge the status quo who wield power like a baseball bat. We must pray that the beloved community come out from the shadows of complacency and speak out, especially in the aftermath of hatred and racism being injected into our local election process.

Summing up this article, let me share some of my family’s story. It’s one of loss potential, and surrendered dreams. A beloved son was lost to the Vietnam Conflict. A son who did not wait to be drafted but volunteered for service.

This son gave the ultimate sacrifice for a country that he believed in. Fifty-five years after his death, I question how we are honoring his service and sacrifice.

Is it honoring my brother by putting your hands over our hearts and quoting the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag while denying millions of citizens of color their right to vote? Are we honoring the millions of fallen men and women sacrifices by registering to vote and then not voting? Are we honoring our nation’s highest creeds when fail to hold those accountable who are sworn into office, with their right hand raised; those who solemnly swear to support the constitution of the United States and the State of Illinois and the ordinance of Galesburg and to faithfully discharge the office of council member and township trustee to best of their ability while sowing division and exacting retaliation toward those who dare to challenge them?

John 4:20 makes the case for how we are to treat each other. “Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars.”

My paraphrase of the verse is, “How can you say you love God whom you have never seen, when you hate your brother who you see every day.”

Lord, increase my heart’s desire for the Church, the City of Galesburg, America and the world. Lord, help me so that I may in turn help others.

Andrew Jowers is a minister in Galesburg.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Many Paths: Use your heart and be kind as hate, violence persists