Charleston and Christian Response

Charleston and Christian Response

By Mitiku Adisu

Here is the story: On June 17, 2015, a young man showed up to a Wednesday night prayer meeting with a concealed weapon on his person and a heart loaded with hate. It's not the normal way to join or remain within the believing community. Judas did Jesus in with a stealthy kiss. Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane at the time, and it was night. Nothing is really new; no one knows, save God, what goes on in a person's heart and mind—not even the person once he or she is possessed by demons. "Then Satan entered Judas" [Luke 22:3]. 

The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
"I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve." [Jeremiah 17:9–10]

The Charleston visitor was made welcome, probably too overtly, because not many show up on a Wednesday night, especially for a prayer meeting. The visitor sat around for an hour or so. He must not have been praying, as it is difficult to pray with hate in one's heart. The irony is that throughout history, many people have followed unhealthy [hate] theologies in order to gain respect in their community. The visitor then got up and began spraying bullets from his automatic weapon. By the time he was done, nine saints were no more, and countless others were left in shock and bereavement. Later, we were to learn he was not a disturbed gunman from nowhere; in fact, he was a member of a tribe. He had proudly posted his identity and intentions as such. 

Here is where the story gets interesting. Many Christian "heavyweights" soon began to "weigh in." Many said such attitudes have no place in modern times and even went further to apologize for past sins. That is as it should be [or as it should have been]. They demanded the removal of the [Confederate] flag that our visitor was wrapped in, calling it a filthy rag fit only for the dustbin of history.

A few sent in prayers for public viewing. Does that sound Pharisaical? So what is wrong with "weighing in?" Nothing wrong with that, except that it came after carefully weighing the pros and cons of making such a public statement; after observing the "evil structure" is teetering under its own dead weight, a public outcry resembling that heard at Jericho saturated the airwaves.Why have Christian leaders kept their "peace" until a catastrophe hits? Does it have to do with the fear of man? fear of losing social standing? fear of ruffling feathers with the prospect of a dwindling revenue stream?

"Weighing in" occurs after the road is cleared of dangers and after anybody who is somebody is out in the open. But the kingdom of God and that of His Christ do not function in bits and pieces, by postponing obedience, or by observing wind directions. God's kingdom is essentially lived out in the out-workings of small daily events that generally tend to elude public attention. It is God who takes notice of the sparrows and cares for them. 

The question is what you and I are doing in the here and now, in our closets, where the Spirit of God is actively watching and searching—to convict and guide in the path of truth where the Cross, rather than being a "heavyweight," is preeminent; where acting safely should not come before acts of compassion and standing for what is just.

In the end, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for the individual, for Charlestonians, and for communities everywhere. It is in that hope that we thrive and have our humanity [a humanity created in the image of God] restored. True, the restoration isn't complete enough to make peace with God, self, and neighbor a present reality. Let us pray for those affected by the present tragedy. Let us pray that our witness is relevant, reliable, and not regressive. Let us not forget that we are capable of committing heinous crimes; we have already committed one against God himself. It is called sin; hatred toward fellow humans is only the fruit. We are all sinners in need of God's love and grace. And, through Christ on the Cross, God has offered love and forgiveness.