Donald Trump has potentially awakened the sleeping giant with his recent comments about the national anthem. During a political speech to a southern white audience; he said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he is fired. He is fired.”
Trump’s offensive and divisive comments were in response to Colin Kaepernick and other professional football players protesting police brutality by kneeling or sitting when our national anthem is playing.
The condemnation of POTUS’ comments is widespread. His comments caused more players to join Kaepernick. Someone created the hashtag #taketheknee, and it is trending heavily on social media.
The only group that has not condemned Trump’s comments is white evangelicals. They never condemn Trump’s bad behavior. That is likely because they support his remarks and bad behavior. Their silence is not surprising although it is very disappointing.
Protest
The rest of the Body of Christ should join Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality. Police brutality is an injustice, and God hates injustice as much as unrighteousness. Most of the Old Testament prophets protested unrighteousness or injustice in some form.
POTUS seems to forget or doesn’t care that police brutality is an injustice. We can respect and honor police officers and protest police brutality simultaneously.
However, protest is not enough. We must pray too!
Prayer
Protest without righteous prayer is weak and ineffective. But protest coupled with prayer is potent. Here’s why prayer is always compelling and critical— it invites God into the situation. God cannot and will not involve Himself in an earthly matter until we request His involvement. That is because God gave us authority in the earth. He respects our authority so much He resists involvement without our invitation.
But matters of grave importance, He does not wait for our request, He motivates people to pray so He can get invited and involved.
But even prayer is not enough. We must also repent.
Penitence
Besides prayer, we must also show penitence. We must repent of our sins. Sin overshadows our nation, and it repulses our righteous God. Sins such as racism, hatred, abortion, homosexuality, murders, oppression of the poor, greed, and so much more break the heart of God and separate us from His favor.
As Christ followers, we must repent from unrighteousness while protesting for justice. That way we are balanced in our approach.
Pity
Last, with our protest, prayer, and penitence, we must pity racist police officers who murder innocent black men and their racist sympathizers. This is another way of saying we must love our enemies. Jesus commands it.
Jesus is the best illustration of showing pity and love for one’s enemies. Before breathing His final breath, he prayed for and pitied his executors, asking the Father to forgive them because they knew not what they were doing. Following the example set by Christ, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King kneeled, prayed and pitied the virulent white racists who hated, attacked, cursed, bombed and ultimately assassinated him.
Among other things, pity prevents our hearts and minds from getting backed up with unforgiveness and bitterness.
Conclusion
Kneeling in protest can be an exceptional opportunity for us Christ followers. But, our protest must incorporate the spiritual aspects of fighting injustice as outlined in the Word of God.
2 Chronicles 7:14 is an informative scripture to understand the spiritual aspects of promoting righteousness and fighting injustice. It says,
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land
God’s promises have not changed. As He pledged to hear the prayers of the Children of Israel and forgive their sin, and heal their land if they humbled themselves, and prayed, and sought His face, and turned from their wicked ways, He offers us the same promises.
There is still hope for America if we respond to injustice with righteous protest, prayer, penitence, and pity.
