How to Love Your Neighbor: A Peace Church Story

This story is shared by a member of The Well, a Peace Church located in Chattanooga, TN. Used with permission from Winter Sign Beck.

The sign church members placed in their front yard.

I was given this to put in my yard by my church family who also held a prayer vigil last night. We prayed and sang. My pastor led us in confession and lament. We had communion and talked about how to take positive action towards eradicating the sinful delusion that is white supremacy. The whole experience was kind and awkward and a healing balm to my spirit.

My beautiful body matters to God. My brown skin is a part of a rainbow that creates the Image and Glory of God here on earth. I am equally Beloved and treasured as my husband who is white and every other human being on this planet. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, I have precisely the same access to God as everyone else. Hallelujah and amen.

But some folks want to confuse that blessed truth with ignoring the systemic racism that this country was founded on. Black and Brown bodies have been looted, enslaved, disrespected and demoralized by people with lighter skin for HUNDREDS of years. I don’t hate those people. God sees the injustice and will ultimately judge accordingly. I trust the Will of Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient God. I also call out for justice here on earth, in this country.

The wild thing is, if laws are passed that make policing safer, and accountability easier, and if police officers stop killing unarmed People (especially Black folks who are disproportionately affected), then this country is qualitatively safer for all of us. Why don’t people who argue all lives matter realize this? We all rise together. Y’all out here arguing semantics while police officers choke the life out of us. You sit on the side lines and judge us for protesting being murdered.

Winter and her beloved and beautiful family.

If you don’t want to protest, fine. But please pray for us and hand us a bottle water, sign a few petitions, have some awkward conversations with your racist friends who distract and laugh at us trying to be free. Prayerfully examine your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth and make what changes need to happen in your body. Be released from the spiritual oppression in the Name of Jesus.

I am praying for the will and energy to be loving and eloquent instead of wallowing in rage. I want to love my neighbors, even when they make it hard. This takes the supernatural strength of the Holy Spirit. Pray hard y’all. The devil knows his time is short. #blacklivesmatter