Tears Keep Flowing

The picture above is not some some new version of COVID-19. It is not life from a far off planet.

It's a tear.

 According to the photographer, it's a tear that was derived from an emotional (sadness) response.

We’ve cried lots of tears (especially in the past weeks).  I've caused many more tears to be shed.  But I've never seen any depiction that showed what makes up our tears.  It's beautiful and captivating.

Frankly, from a faith-based view, I see crosses. The pain that we have, and release, through tears are filled with the symbol of the pain of Jesus and His sacrifice for us.

In the last year, we have literally seen lives destroyed, turned upside down by something that we cannot see, touch or smell (and to try and be humorous - you can tell if you have because you can't smell or taste!). We have shut down our world, for the most part, to help slow the spread of a disease that, until sometime late last year, did not exist. 

We have seen violence and fear erupt across a spectrum of politics and faith - from those who would claim to be Christians. But, even if a person is not one of faith of any kind, the political violence we have seen this year is a sign of abject failure.

Failure by political leaders - to find a way to bridge differences and embrace and build consensus among those who are NOT extremists.

Failure by media interests - to find a way to tell the truths about the world around us, especially when the truth can be ascertained but it requires checking political allegiances.

Failure by medical experts - to find a way to provide honest, consistent guidance on getting through the pandemic. We have all joked about the inconsistency of mandates from masks (first thought was they were not necessary - https://www.cnn.com/factsfirst/politics/factcheck_e58c20c6-8735-4022-a1f5-1580bc732c45) and then insisting they should be mandatory. Remember how much time we all spent wiping groceries, in the garage, in our underwear (maybe just me?) after our hurried, desperate visit to the grocery store? Which turned out to be of no help. All of that led many to hold onto views that became outdated as reality changed. But by issuing "science-based" information that was . . . wrong . . . EVERYTHING they said became suspect to some. 

Failure by us.

We are in a mode that has us pointing fingers at everyone but failing to look in the mirror and assess our personal role in the disasters we see in our world today - specifically the disaster that is the United States today.

We have bought into conspiracy theories and rushed to whisper (or post on some platform) that "X" is going to happen and only we know about it because of the friend of a neighbor's sister's brother-in-law who personally mentioned it  . . . somewhere.  We have been (wrongly and destructively) convinced that our neighbor, friend, classmate, family member is "our enemy."

Sadly, the social media platforms only drive the wedge deeper and are bringing us closer to a sense of fear of each other than our nation has seen in almost a century.

One of the most destructive phrases of 2020 and probably 2021 is "unfriend" because of what someone thinks, says, offers, mentions, likes, dislikes, refuses to share or shares too much. 

I'm going to suggest that much of the divisive nature we are seeing now is built from our own ego. Instead of trying to understand the thoughts, values, words, (yes, fears), of those we have known for decades, we close them out. We call them names that make us feel superior. We dismiss their pain and fear so easily by making them “less than.” 

Instead of cancelling people - and let's be honest, that IS what has been happening to drive us away from a united nation - might I suggest we consider the tears above? We need to be shedding tears for the damage done for generations by ignorance or willing neglect of the available truths. We should be weeping for the lives that have been damaged/lost/forgotten by the power of our ego and our lack of grace and compassion for other people.

I attended a presentation by Dr. John Perkins (https://www.jvmpf.org/) a minister and Civil Rights leader a few years ago. His comments that day are pointing at us today - and should make each of us self-examine in a time when we need to beg forgiveness of each other:

Bigotry and violence is an example of us failing to act with love but instead try to assume we ARE God. This superiority takes love out of Scripture and inserts our own greed and desire.

By providing care are we fulfilling Jesus' teaching - in the beginning of his ministry - love the poor. We should see ourselves as working with God in our services.

To work WITH God should be enough pride. To be a workman- a trophy of God - should be enough joy. Do we see that?

The joy comes out of pain. 

To be engaged with the pain of others moves us to change. 

Jesus came to remove pain. 

His joy is to join with us.

To be called to be engaged with the One who called for there to be light has shined that light into our heart! We are adequate to do the work God has assigned to us.

We have the tools. We have the responsibility. We have the ability. God has placed the opportunity in our hands. Now what do we do with it?

So, do we unfriend, buy into the evil belief that some are unredeemable, ignore, marginalize, damage friends, family, co-workers?

Me? My faith is guiding me to expand my reach. To find more people, to shed more tears for the damage inflicted for which I have not stepped up to make better. 

And to find a way to do, and be, better than I see when I look in the mirror.