Tag: social justice

Transformed Nonconformist

Today’s a new day! Did you know there are 1,430 hate groups in the United States alone. Sadly, those numbers are growing. While many tend to be small, they have political power and want to see unrest across America.

Hate groups will continue to poison hearts, stir up violence, and polarize people in 2024 and beyond. So to gear up for these challenges, I reflected back on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s book Strength to Love. I encourage you to check it out.

The book is a fascinating read, but one of the phrases Dr. King used truly grabbed my attention. Dr. King calls us to be “Transformed Nonconformist” Here is the scripture that Dr. King used to come up with this beautiful term.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Transformed nonconformists reject racism, discrimination, hatred and anything that tears our society apart and tries to divide us.

Transformed nonconformists break the chain reaction of evil by refusing to “fight fire with fire.”

Why? Because as Dr. King explains, “Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence… in a descending spiral of destruction” This is one of the main reasons for not responding in kind to evil. In the powerful words of Mahatma Ghandi, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

The second part of Romans 12 describes the divine reason we break the chain reaction of evil. The Scriptures command us to conquer hate through the power of love:

*Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (v. 14).

*Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone (v. 17).

*If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (v. 18).

*Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath (v. 19).

*If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink… (v. 20).

*Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (v. 21).

These commands indicate that a transformed nonconformist is in fact a peacemaker. And these peacemakers break the chain reaction of evil – through suffering, absorbing pain and responding in love.  

Peacemaking is not for the faint of heart. Peacemaking demands an uncompromising rejection of the unloving ways of the world and a radical embrace of the enemy-loving way of Jesus.

I read an article once where a civil rights worker was asked how he was able to endure racial hatred and violence while working for justice. “The hatred coming at me in those fists and clubs was bouncing right off me back into the air, and it could just continue to spread like electricity. I decided not to fight back. I would let my body absorb that hatred, so that some of it would die in my body and not bounce back into the world. I now see that my job in the midst of evil is to make my body a grave for hate.”

Did you catch that last sentence? “Making my body a grave for hate.” That sounds scary. It is! That is why I chose to follow Jesus – the one who made his body a grave for hate, the one who rose from the grave, and the one who said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21).

I pray you will join me on this journey of Love over hate. ~OC

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A Commandment

Today’s a new day! If we want to truly follow God, we must be committed to justice, because He is. When I study scripture, I see commands for us to speak out boldly against injustice. But sadly, many Churches and Christian today are speaking out against those who speak out against the issues of the day. I have personally been called “Woke” because I care about and speak out against the injustices I see. Just a side note to the Christian community woke is not a bad four letter word that so many in the Church community have made it. We can have a separate conversation about that topic. So when someone calls me “Woke”, I wear that label with honor. Okay, let me get back on track here. Social justice should be part of our Christian faith, not something to run from.

Let’s take a look back at some amazing people who wore the badge of social justice with honor. Fellow Christians like John Newton (who gave us one of my favorite hymns (“Amazing Grace”), William Wilberforce, Harriet Tubman, Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others who considered it their Christian duty to fight against injustice. As Christians, we must be willing to continue carrying the torch of justice. We cannot live in a world where everyone doesn’t have access to a better life based on their religious beliefs, economic situation, cultural background, skin color or sexual orientation.

Today, the stakes could not be higher. Cities across America are struggling with despair and broken systems that tragically limit the human potential within them. Affordable housing is almost a thing of the past. Substandard education, unjust laws, crime and fatherlessness are all at epidemic levels. Our cities are full of beautiful people with amazing gifts and immeasurable worth, but we’ve allowed oppression to mask their talents and contributions. But by living out the scriptures and truly being the hands and feet of Jesus we can find ways to empower the marginalized, enhance their lives and offer them a safe place to thrive and live out their dreams.

Followers of Christ must be willing to challenge the divide that exists in this world and travel to and through Samaria (John 4:4). We have to be willing to engage with everyone Jesus brings our way. This is not a suggestion; it’s a command.

The scriptures teach us that the way we treat the hurting and marginalized is a direct reflection of how we treat Jesus. It’s also an indication of whether we are truly following Him (Matthew 25:31-46). The scriptures also teach that we should pray and act to bring God’s system of justice to bear wherever we live- “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-11). As Christians we cannot ignore these mandate. If we pick and choose which commands to follow we are failing to live out everything Jesus commanded. ~OC

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God and Justice

Today’s a new day! As I study scripture, I have come to the conclusion that faith in God and a desire to do His will goes hand-in-hand with standing for social justice. Honestly, I do not believe you can have one without the other. You cannot fully walk with Christ without serving the the least of these and you cannot fully serve the least of these without an understanding and faith in Christ. Without Christ, you will never fulfill more than the surface-level needs of those you are trying to serve.

This is where Christians needs to take a stand. We should be a fortress for social justice. If we were truly following the scriptures, Christianity would be synonymous with social justice. I think our faith and social justice should be so intertwined they cannot be separated from each other. As Christians, we truly need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We cannot just talk about the different issues that plague our country and world. We cannot continue to deal with every tragedy by just expressing our thoughts and prayers. No, as Christians we need to stand up for what’s right. Even if that means being challenged by society or other Christians for our beliefs. I believe social justice is close to the heart of God. ~OC

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A Loving Warning

Today’s a new day! People are not abandoning Jesus. People are abandoning churches that use Jesus to push political agendas, choose tithes and numbers over relationships and choose which sins are acceptable. That is just unacceptable to an unbelieving world. It is also unacceptable to a believing world. The Church needs to not only preach the Gospel, but live out the Gospel in words and action.

Even as I write the words above, I love the Church because Jesus loves the Church. This is not an attack on the Church. No, this is a loving warning to those churches who are more concerned about their own agenda than the truth of the Gospel. This loving warning comes from someone who has spent more than half my life in the church. This is a loving warning from someone who has seen the beautiful and ugliness of the Church. This is a loving warning from someone who desires for everyone to find a beautiful, amazing church home. ~OC

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End Modern-Day Slavery

Today’s a new day! Freedom is something we all want and everyone deserves. No one would prefer not to be free. Yet, there are an estimated 40 million slaves in the world today. This brutal criminal enterprise generates an estimated $150 billion annually. Every minute of every day, people are being sold into slavery — and it is possible to stop this crime against humanity. I know it’s possible to stop slavery and trafficking in our lifetime, but the anti-trafficking movement needs more people to join the fight. Will you join the fight to end human trafficking? Someone’s life is depending on it. ~OC

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I Am A Abolitionist

Since 2007, I have been fighting to end human trafficking. If you are interested in being part of the solution, feel free to contact me. ~OC

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I Am Wrecked…Again

Once again I am wrecked by what I see happening in Atlanta, Virginia and Minneapolis. I keep believing that one day, I will wake up and not hear about another person of color being victimized by the actions of a person filled with hate or a person quick to judge. But sadly, that seems like a dream. But hey, I am a dreamer.

So I will continue praying for my brothers and sisters of color. Praying that as you walk down the street, people will not clutch their purses or bags a little tighter. Praying as you visit a place of business, you will not be hassled. I pray if for some reason you are pulled over by the police, you will be treated with respect. I am saddened that I have to pray this prayer every day for my brothers and sisters of color. But I will not stop praying. I will not stop speaking out against injustice. I will continue to stand with you. ~OC

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Check Our Hearts

As I scroll through social media and have conversations with some Christians my heart breaks. I read and hear comments that must break Jesus heart. I think to myself did that Christian actually read their post before posting it or did they check their heart before speaking. Probably not.

As I study scripture, I wonder what Bible some Christians are reading. Because my Bible says we should love everyone. Not just those who think like us, look like us or worship like us. No, we are to love Everyone! Sadly, I see a lot of Hate coming from those who would call themselves Christians. Here are a few examples:

*Those calling themselves Christians with their Christian flags, storming the Capital on January 6th. I could really just stop there, but let’s go on.

*Those calling themselves Christians buying into the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen by the Democrats. Remember, no one ever produced any real proof. Every court, including the Supreme Court ruled there was no proof of election fraud. Yet the conspiracy theories continue. I believe conspiracy theories are nothing more than gossip.

*Some who call themselves Christians believing every Democrat is evil.

*Some who call themselves Christians believing racism is a thing of the past.

*Many Christians and Churches not speaking out against racism.

*Many so called Christians being part of hate groups.

*Many Christians being offended that some people refused to recognize Donald Trump as President, but now those same Christians loudly shout President Biden is not their President.

As I wrote this post, I thought to myself why would anyone want to be a Christian? But then I realized the Jesus I serve is all about Love and Grace. The examples above do not represent my Savior and most Christians. Jesus loves everyone. Sadly some Christians have perverted the Christian faith. It is up to true believers to stand up for what’s right. Even when doing so is not popular. It’s time for the Christian Community to check our hearts. ~OC

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Say Yes. Say No.

Say yes to loving others.
Say yes to forgiving others.
Say yes to helping others.
Say yes to standing up for others.
Say yes to listening to others.
Say yes to encouraging others.

Say no to hating others.
Say no to judging others.
Say no to bullying others.
Say no to gossiping about others.
Say no to discouraging others.
Say no to holding grudges against others. ~OC

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