Good Day, Friends of “meetpastordan.com”. I just received a jolt as I prepared to start writing this week’s blog. I was reviewing something in the back office of my website and discovered – unbeknownst to me – this will be blog no. 71! Wow!! If anyone would have verbalized that as a possibility when the website was under construction, I would have laughed at them. In fact, I twice opted out of even having a blog section on the website because I would be the first to admit…I Never Ever considered myself to be a writer. Truth be told, I didn’t even like the arduous task of writing. But I kept wrestling with the blog idea; it wouldn’t go away, so I finally relented.
So here is the truth behind each week’s blog. From week one until about fifteen minutes ago, the process has always been the same. In my dimly lit office in the wee hours of the morning, I take a couple sips of coffee, pet Glenn and Cliff on the head, lean back in my chair and remain quiet for a few moments. Then I pray; “God…give me the subject you want me to write about. Then I ask Him to help me to get out of the way so the Holy Spirit can work through me to produce a product that brings honor and glory to Him.” After a few more moments of “being still and knowing that He is God”, I assume the position behind my keyboard and away “we” go. My role in this blogging endeavor has never changed; I show up each week and am a willing participant in the process. Whatever happens next is way beyond my capability.
Sometimes subjects are so obvious even I can see them. And such has been the case with Ferguson this past week. From last Monday evening until today, there has been no shortage of events to write about, but when I asked God to light the path he wanted me to follow, his answer was a bit of a surprise. As I understood his directive, it was this: “Two weeks ago I gave you and action plan. This week, I want you to call that plan into action.” As I pondered that directive, its perfection became obvious: we are called to be God’s light in this dark world. Galatians 6:9 puts it this way; “Let us never tire of doing good…” This IS our opportunity! (Refer to November 17: http://meetpastordan.com/ferguson-our-opportunity/)
Satan will try to use any situation to his advantage. And as I predicted in the blog referenced above, nothing did escape the spot-light of the media. If you turned on your television even once in the past week, you saw for yourself how this tragedy has been sensationalized. From those who claimed to be victims of injustice shouting “burn the bitch to the ground” to a bands of marauders breaking windows, entering private businesses with the intention of looting – then igniting fires before they left – we saw an “up close and personal” view of Evil. Luke 6:45 tells us, “A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. Whatever is in your heart determines what you say” and what you do. Satan and his evil minions certainly made their presence known in Ferguson this past week.
No doubt the initial situation regarding the shooting of Mike Brown by Officer Darren Wilson was a tragedy. But within hours the matter became so convoluted with extraneous agendas; racial overtones; distrust and hatred, the core issue seemed to lose its predominance as the reasons for unrest expanded. The desire for justice “claimed” to be the central theme, but what about the merchants and small business owners? They did nothing to deserve the punishment inflicted on them by mob-rule! They were innocent victims. Does the mob’s desire for “justice” take precedence over other people’s rights??
The lawless behavior we witnessed during this fiasco has left in its aftermath a new class of victims: innocent business owners and the people they employ. They had nothing to do with the original tragedy. They just happened to be ambitious, committed merchants who wanted to contribute to Ferguson and its future. Through some deranged thought process, they were singled out as “an example of what is wrong” in Ferguson?; in America?; in the world? Who knows! But in the collective mind of the frenzied mob, someone owed them something and someone was going to pay! The face of Evil has reared its ugly head in Ferguson. Now it’s OUR time for action. Good WILL conquer Evil!
I believe it’s time to turn the focus away from political agendas and racial overtones that have shrouded this tragedy from day one, and to focus squarely on helping the new victims of this tragedy. It is also the time for US, as Christ-followers, to show up with a message of hope for the entire community of Ferguson. We have seen Evil. Now it’s time to show the love of Jesus. We want to be part of the rebirth of Ferguson. We are committed to loving our neighbor and to serving our fellow man. What can we do to help? To be a Christ-follower is much more than a label. It’s a way of living, and we must seize this opportunity to show the face of love and compassion.
My plan was to invite you to a strategic planning meeting so we could work together on how we could best show up as “Jesus’ Disciples for the Rebirth of Ferguson”. My wife and I had already outlined an agenda, but yesterday I heard of a respected organization that is doing just what I have been talking about, so I have a call into them regarding how, or if, we can plug into what they already have established. There is really no reason to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. As soon as I have more information, I will send out another notice in the next few days.
In the interim, I would like to ask each of you reading this to ask God how you can best serve the needs of those innocent victims or what you can bring to Ferguson to help it get pointed toward a bright future. We all have talents that would be most useful and appreciated. Please ask God to guide your path to a commitment of action. It’s our time to “be the sermon”.
More details will come in a few days.
May God direct your path in this matter of loving and serving your fellow man.
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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