Juneteenth, 2021

I just posted this comment on a Facebook page, and it seemed important enough to tell the whole world. Whoever is moved to, share it freely:

The attitude I'd encourage in all my fellow enjoyers of well-educated, able-bodied, tall white male American-with-no-felony-record privilege, is this: everyone you know, everyone you meet is not your "equal," but Jesus Christ, your Lord, clothed in their skin. You have probably sinned against them in more ways than you realize, so you ought to walk in such a manner as befits someone who wants their forgiveness. If they have sinned against you, you must forgive them if you want God's forgiveness (see Matt 6:14-15), and if they are behaving toward you like enemies, well, you're commanded to love them, which includes praying for their repentance and salvation if you think they're acting damnably (Matt 5:44). If they hurt you, weep rather than retaliate; God has promised to wipe away all tears from your eyes (Rev 7:17, 21:4), and theirs, too, if they repent so deeply of hurting you that they cry, too.

We are a world full of sinners. The sooner we learn to behave like repentant sinners, the sooner we'll find the solution to our problems, including the now intractable-seeming structural evils like environmental catastrophe, racism and "otherism" in all its forms, war and the insane proliferation of weapons, and capitalism itself. Then, and only then, might we hear "great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev 11:15 KJV).