Wade in the water
Wade in the water
Children wade, in the water
God’s gonna trouble the water

It was a song we learned back in junior high. I was in 7th or 8th grade, attending a public school and we had one of those all-school choir festivals. The soloist stepped up to the platform and sang out in her rich alto tones, taking everyone’s breath away.

It was a song that was sang by slaves in the American South. They sang many songs that were related to old Bible stories- there was a kinship implied with the Israelites who were enslaved to the Egyptians for 400 years. They too, wished to be set free.

Fast forward to 2020. What a crazy year. Never in my lifetime did I think I would see so many headlines, let alone protests and rioting. I can hardly wrap my mind around it all before something new happens.

Yet, our God? He remains the same. He’s unchanging. We can take our hope, our strength, and our cues from Him.

Jesus said we were to love all our neighbors, we’re even to pray for our enemies, do good to those who hurt us. (Matthew 5).

He calls us to something greater than anger. He calls us to compassion. To love, not because it’s deserved, and not because we’re particularly amazing ourselves, but as His representatives, we are to love. We can make change happen simply by respecting others more than ourselves. By reaching out, by listening and loving. It’s not a simple fix. It’s going to take time. Energy. Practice. And it’s not going to happen if we never get started.

I’m not calling for believers to stand down from our passions and our convictions but rather to remember the big picture, of loving one another and having consideration for one another again.

And loving one another? It’s messy. It requires patience. Humility. But if you never get into that water? Then things will never change. Let’s love one another enough that we see change.