Everybody, Always

On June 16^th, I finally brought myself to watch the video of George Floyd.  My friends here in Rwanda were appalled by the video.  One even mentioned that he always looked to America as this great place that he looked up to.  But, he’s now seeing it’s not as bright as he always thought. 

It doesn’t matter race, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status, etc., I would have had the same emotions watching the video.  I held back tears; I think I was more angry than sad.  But it was gut wrenching to watch.  And I just kept thinking—somebody do something besides just saying profanity to the police officers and watching this all go down.  I’m not sure what I would have done in the situation, but I pray that God would have convicted me in some manner of action.  Then again, it’s the whole crowd mentality—someone else will step up, right?

About a week later, Ash and I watched Just Mercy.  For about the last half or quarter of the movie, I cried.  (Yes, I can cry easily at movies…but I literally felt like I was there watching this all play out in person and being able to do nothing.)  I thought of my brothers and sisters here in Africa.  I thought of my friends I’ve made around the world. 

If you read my blog about my return to Rwanda, it was titled “Family Reunion”.  I can attest that my friends here in Rwanda are even more near and dear to my heart than when I first arrived in February.  There might have been a lockdown for a month and half, but I also have grown deeper in my relationships with a lot of people here.  On the race, you learned to love on people hard for a month.  When you’ve been in a place for almost 5 months, you can imagine how astronomically those relationships can deepen when God is truly at the center. 

Honestly, being an international missionary isn’t always easy.  The roles that I’m used to at home are switched.  I get a taste of what it isn’t to be in the majority.  I’m often defined by my skin color.  I’m defined by the fact that I’m a foreigner.  In Rwanda, we are called Muzungu.  When I’m walking with others from Rwanda, a street kid will pick me over them to ask for money.  They think I’m rich.  I get stares. Sometimes, the kids that you want to run up to and pick up will start crying, and turn to their mom’s for security. In other places I had mud hand shakes, was pinched, and had water thrown at me. And in the other hand, in some places I was treated like royalty…best seat in the house, served my meal first, and even given flowers….

I go on a jog with a friend once a week.  The other day when we were jogging, he started raising his arms and shaking them.  I was like what are you doing?  He said that someone was staring at me so he was trying to get the attention off me and onto him.  That’s just a taste of love.  He was literally taking the blow for me. 

On the flip side of all this, I also have several family members who are police officers.  And I respect them.  I know their character.  I’m thankful that they risk their lives every day to help protect others.  I wish people wouldn’t label them all as bad.  When you have family members who are police, you pray that they come home safe every day. 

I still don’t quite have all my thoughts gathered on this subject, but this post is already way overdue.  I couldn’t just keep silent on this.  As Christians, we are called to love. Love God. Love our neighbor.  Who is our neighbor? Everybody, Always (This is also a great book by Bob Goff—check it out!).  The child who is annoying you in the grocery store, or kicking the back of your seat on the plane.  The homeless man on the street begging for money and food.  The President.  The young girl who became pregnant and doesn’t have a husband, and doesn’t know the father of her child.  The rich entrepreneur.  The man with a mental disease.  The elderly woman in the nursing home.  The janitor.  The coach.  The neurologist.  The small business owner.  The crippled man walking down the street.  The red neck.  The goth.  The American. The Venezuelan.  The African. The police officer.  Anyone. Everyone.    

Growing up, I didn’t have much diversity in my community or even at college.  However, I’m thankful that the Father has given me eyes to see like Him, a heart to also love like Him, and relationships with people throughout the world.  My heart has always been of service and helping others, and I believe God has given me an ability to love on everyone I meet.  When people ask me about my role in mission work, I always say my intent is to make people feel loved, seen, and known.  That’s literally what we are supposed to do each and every day as a Christian whether your occupation is “missionary” or something completely different. 

The World Race opened my eyes to love without boundaries and to love hard.  I worked with drug addicts, homeless, lepers, skin colors of all varieties, ethnicities of all varieties, gypsies, untouchables, kids, adults, elderly, hurting, healthy…I was blessed with so many opportunities.  Yes, there were differences, but love sees beyond the outward appearance.  It looks at the heart. It looks at the humanness.  Love recognizes the deception of sin, and casts out the fear that holds us captive to the idea that differences are bad.

I believe discrimination, prejudice, ethnocentrism, etc. all arise because of fear. But, perfect love (God) casts out fear.  God teaches us how to love and the actions that love takes.  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, and always perseveres.  Love never fails.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8a 

Romans 12 goes on to describe love in action as being sincere.  Hating what is evil and clinging to what is good.  Being devoted to one another in love. Honoring one another above yourselves.  Sharing with those in need and practicing hospitality….the list goes on.

The records throughout the Bible show us this love in action.  Jesus ate with the tax collectors.  He touched lepers.  He drank from the cup of a Samaritan woman at the well.  He let little children come to him.  He bore a cross and took on all our sins so that one day we can live in a world without death, disease, and darkness.

So, to anyone reading this… recognize we are all different.  God made us unique.  Not one person is the same.  Personalities, body shapes, skin colors, languages, occupations, abilities…..the list goes on.  You don’t have to be best friends with every person on the earth, but you are still called to love them through kindness, courtesy, generosity, patience, self-control, and so much more!  It’s time we really started loving everybody, always.

“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.”
??John? ?13:34? ?AMP??