Leadership Thought: What We Need to Do as We Watch Our Cities Burn.

Dear Friends,

Anyone who has watched the unfolding events of the last week cannot help but be disturbed by what we have seen. Whether you are black or white, young or old, Republican or Democrat, I hope you would agree that the death of George Floyd by the hands of an overzealous white Minneapolis law enforcement officer was reprehensible.

But so too have been the shocking  events that have followed. For the last couple of days, I have sadly watched the fabric of our nation being ripped apart by those who have openly defied authority and wantonly destroyed the property of others. There is no excuse or rational  whatsoever for this kind of behavior.

Yesterday it was hard for me to watch as hundreds of looters unashamedly pillaged a West Philadelphia drug store with not one police officer in sight. Similar events have been witnessed throughout our major cities as rioters have used this event to justify the lawless destruction of property and the theft of that which was not their own. Cities are burning, businesses are being destroyed,  police officers are being  threatened, while politicians and news reporters use their own bias to justify their political perspectives.

Our nation is deeply divided and in need of healing. Regardless of who you feel is to blame for the circumstances, we need to be careful that we don’t  fuel  the flames of unrest. This not the time to sport our political blinders while ignoring the fact that we only make matters worse when we use our rhetoric  in ways that inflame the situation. Be careful Christians. There are other colors we can paint with besides black and white.

We have lost our moral compass as a nation. What we are viewing as our cities go up in flames is a loss of moral and spiritual grounding. We are living in the time of the Judges, “where every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

What we are seeing is not just a reflection of our political divide with each side highlighting the facts that justify their actions and decisions. No, what we are seeing is what happens to a nation when it loses its spiritual moorings.

Our leaders need to step forward and put partisan politics behind them. They need to stop  finger pointing. They need to be willing and honest to admit that there is culpability on both sides of the political aisle. And that goes for us as well.

We need to pray for our leadership, starting with our president. We need to implore  God to give all our leaders’ hearts of humility bent on working together to heal our divisions rather than exacerbating them.

In closing I would call all believers to pray to that same end. Let us be healers, reconcilers, those intent on uniting and not dividing our nation. Let us be reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14 that promises us that  “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

New Monmouth hosts a prayer meeting tonight. Those of you who are a part of our church family I would encourage you to join us as we pray for the fulfillment of this promise from our great God.

Prayerfully yours,
Tom