Becoming

On Wednesday, Netflix dropped the documentary “Becoming” which follows Michelle Obama as she travels on her book tour for her personal memoir.  I own the book.  I bought it as soon as it was released.  I started reading it and then got busy with life.  I never finished it.

The documentary was beautiful.  Watching her story unfold was really fascinating.  She was honest and relatable.  She didn’t hold back.  She spoke her truth and encouraged others to do the same.  In many of her encounters with others, she emphasized that their personal stories had value.  We are all continually in the process of becoming.  I’m soft these days.  I cried.

“Becoming” is not the only video that dropped on Wednesday.  After a long day out in the world, I was scrolling on Facebook.  My timeline was filled with pictures of Ahmaud Arbery.  He was a 25-year-old black man who went out for his regular jog.  I used the verb “was,” because he never returned home from his jog.  He was chased down by a white father/son duo and shot.  The men assumed that he must have committed a robbery because he was running.  I’m angry these days.  I cried.

What is the world becoming?  My fear is that it is becoming more of what it always was.  Race plays an enormous role in the world that we live in today.  Listen, if you’re not blind, you see color.  You see my chocolate skin and natural hair.  You make judgements about me because of my appearance.  We all do.  That’s why people say that first impressions matter, however it gets downright depressing when someone loses their life in the course of a normal activity.

His murder is even more frustrating, because it’s not the first.  We can pretend that these murders are random events, but they are increasing.  One innocent life taken is too many.  In the year of our Lord, two thousand and twenty, black lives should matter.  Unfortunately, for much of America, and the body of Christ, they don’t.  What is the church becoming?

Black, white, red, yellow, brown, and green.  We are all the body of Christ.  No matter what skin tone we have.  But when tragedies like this occur, generally only black leaders speak out with outrage.  It’s time out for that.  Instead of the body of Christ becoming more like Christ, it cowers.  It holds its tongue.

My prayer is that we ALL become who Christ wants us to be.  If we’re not actively helping our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re becoming more like the world.  We are becoming the Pharisees that sit back and watch a world in crisis because we are just here to follow the rules of religion.  We don’t care about relationship.  Christ literally gave His life for EVERY person to be reconciled to God.  Not a select few.  Don’t get so busy with your own life that you forget to care about others.  Allow Christ to finish the work that He began in us.  Let’s become more like Him.  #wepreach