The world has watched in bewilderment as droves of people have rallied around the families of those caught up in the tragedy of the AME Emanuel shooting. Charleston has not taken to the streets in protest and vandalism. Instead, the city has taken a different route and taken to the pews of a very historic church.
But in the midst of this loving bond that has formed in the Holy City is a controversy over the Confederate flag. A few years back, the flag flew on top of the State building along with the American and SC flag. After the initial controversy, it was voted to remove the flag from the building and place it a few feet away at the civil war monument.
People all across the country have been quick to offer up their opinions on the confederate flag. While many find the flag offensive and think it should be removed in the wake of this shooting, just as many see the flag as a rich part of South Carolina history and believe it represents something entirely other than racism.
And as opinions fly and the discussion becomes ever more heated, those in favor and in opposition of the flag’s place on state grounds are speaking past each other. Those who favor keeping the flag make the argument that “the confederate flag will not end racism.” What’s interesting about that argument is that no one is saying that removing the flag will end racism. Rather, it is making a positive and respectful statement about who we are as South Carolinians in the midst of this terrible tragedy. If those in favor of the flag want to move forward in a helpful manner, they must engage the argument where it is and not attempt to make those who oppose the flag say something they are not saying.
To the opposite end, those who oppose the flag call it a “symbol of hate,” lumping those who are in favor of the flag with hatred, which is most certainly not the case. Those who are favor of retaining the flag are mostly individuals who are proud to be from the South, who feel the flag is a symbol of “Southern pride.” If those in opposition to the flag want to move forward in a helpful way, they must engage the argument where it is as well and not place stereotypes on people who do not fit into that mold.
The way forward for all of us can be summed up well in Mark 12:28-32, which says:
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”
Jesus says that before we do anything else, we need to make sure we love God with everything we are and love our neighbor as ourselves.
The very often quoted 1 Corinthians 13 passage provides us with a great definition of love. Verses 4-7 says this: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
What would it look like if we approached the issue of the confederate flag by making sure that our hearts first loved God and second loved our neighbors? Ironically, I think it would look much like the unification and support that has surrounded the AME Emanuel family.
If we are going to get past this issue and move forward, the first step is to place our hearts before God and offer up everything we are to Him. If we are surrendered to Him, our actions will surely mimic who He is. This inevitably leads to loving people. It means being kind. It means not getting angry. It means not shaming others. It means hoping and trusting in what is good. It means persevering.
Instead of talking past each other and getting angry over the stupid opinion of someone else, love grounded in Jesus Christ meets others where they are. It means respecting the opinion of the person you disagree with in order to have an honest conversation about the place of the flag and what it represents. It means trusting one another that we all want what’s best for each other. It means coming together in hope that whether the flag is positioned to fly on the state grounds or positioned in a glass box at the museum, our hearts will always be positioned towards reconciliation.
May we not walk far from the Kingdom of God.
Cognitive Panorama 