This week has been a difficult time for our nation and we pray that God’s peace and love may shed light in the midst of all this pain. Graphic videos of the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling and Philandro Castille stirred anger. As our nation processed these tragedies we did what we do best: we gathered, we mourned, we debated, and we protested. At a #BlackLivesMatter protest in Dallas, a shooter killed five police officers and injured seven others. The raw emotions of these events are still fresh in our hearts and minds. As I reflect on the lives of these police officers, I cannot help but think of those who serve others.
My brother always knew that he wanted to be a police officer. When he was about to enter high school he learned about a law enforcement program he could enroll in and obtain college credits. Our assigned high school was only five minutes away from our house, but my brother wanted to enroll in this program at a high school an hour away. For four years he woke up at five in the morning to take a bus to this school. After high school he pursued a college degree in law enforcement, and a few years ago he joined a police department in North Texas. I could not be prouder of his accomplishments and perseverance.
Five years ago I met a young 16-year-old teen who told me the first time I met him that he wanted to become a police officer. As soon as he was old enough he joined a law enforcement program called Explorers, a program led by city police officers to mentor young people to one day become one of them. My young friend is now in his second year of college pursuing a degree in law enforcement.
As I witnessed the chaos in downtown Dallas on Thursday night on the news and social media, I became overwhelmed with fear. I knew many of my friends who are activists, police officers, and church leaders would be at that protest. All I could hear in the news were reports of shots fired and that officers were down. I called my brothers who was not anywhere near the event and was glad to hear he was safe. I then started to see my young friends checking in safe on social media. What a tragedy!
As youth ministers we are on the front lines every day teaching and talking to our young people. This week we will sit together and grieve, for those who wear blue and those we don’t know personally but mourn their death. We will talk about police brutality, knowing that some might have already experienced harassment and fear at their young age. This past week I heard so much anger against police officers. I kept reminding people of my brother, my young friend who volunteers as an Explorer, and my other friends in law enforcement. Not everyone is evil, corrupted, and hateful. Every profession, race, and culture will have people who are motivated to cause harm to others.
Today my heart aches for those who have died. As the church, may we stand together to hold hands with people from different cultures, backgrounds, professions, and skin color. For what does God require of us? We hunger for justice, but we must hold on to love and mercy and keep in check to walk humbly with our God.
I pray as we come together that we support our young friends who want to dress in blue, encouraging them to lead the change. May we inspire them to shine the characteristics of God’s love and grace as we value all human rights. May we pray for our fears, for our nation, and the protecting of those who serve—including us. There is a systematic problem, there is a need for change. As Martin Luther King said “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
May God’s love and peace be with us as we help those around us. For just like the psalmist wrote, “our soul is weary with sorrow; may God strengthen us.” (Psalm 119:28).
Amen.