This weekend, I was traveling to Charlottesville for a wedding. As I watched the reporters (including a friend of mine) share live coverage of the events of the days prior, I was deeply saddened to see such evil, hatred and racism. I was angered to watch the news and realize how it wasn’t a nightmare. It was a reality.
This weekend, we saw hate in action.
The day after the wedding, I visited the spot of where the car crashed and killed Heather Heyer and injured several others. I wanted to share this photo because as I looked upon this site, I saw love in action.
I’ve now read countless articles, posts and watched videos of the horrific events in Charlottesville. Especially as a white, Christian woman, I felt the need to speak up against the injustice we witnessed this weekend.
First, we must identify that what happened this weekend was WRONG. What happened was an act of racism. It was evil. It goes against our Constitution that states “all men are created equal”. It goes against God’s design that He “created mankind in his own image”. It goes against our identity that we all share: the human race.
After admitting that truth, we must then respond with LOVE. In times like this, it is tempting to respond in fear, anger or resentment – and while those are all expected emotions to have in response – we must fight against hate with love. To listen. To speak up. To seek to understand. To pray. To remind others of their value and worth. To hold tightly to our loved ones. To reach out to those who feel marginalized.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
While we should passionately strive for racial reconciliation, for forgiveness, for peace – we cannot look to this world to fully satisfy our desire for justice. As long as humans are alive and Satan is at work in the world, there will unfortunately be evil and darkness in this world. BUT we have a hope: Jesus has already overcome the world. He has defeated racism, superiority, hatred, darkness, Satan, sin and death. He has defeated it all.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Despite the sorrows we experience, we can rest in the peace that He is working to make all things new. When we see hate in the world and wonder how people could behave this way, we can look at how Jesus loves all people groups. His Kingdom is one of all tribes, nations, peoples and tongues. He shows no partiality. I believe it breaks God’s heart to see anyone believe in and act upon a sense of superiority. We are called to humble ourselves, to be servants, and most of all, to love our neighbors as ourselves.
To quote a beautiful article written by Russell Moore from the Washington Post,
White supremacy does not merely attack our society (though it does) and the ideals of our nation (though it does); white supremacy attacks the image of Jesus Christ himself. White supremacy exalts the creature over the Creator, and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against it.
This sort of ethnic nationalism and racial superiority ought to matter to every Christian, regardless of national, ethnic or racial background. After all, we are not our own but are part of a church — a church made up of all nations, all ethnicities, united not by blood and soil but by the shed blood and broken body of Jesus Christ.
Again, white supremacy is wrong. It does not honor our country. It does not honor God.
“But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:11)
Let us pray for those that are walking in darkness. Let us pray that their eyes are opened. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into their hearts and minds and speak what is true.
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)
Let’s let our love be LOUDER.
The Beauty In Our Brokenness 
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