A Dancing Light

There’s been quite a bit of talk this past week.

Talk ignited by a selfless act. An act that within the boundaries of human reasoning, makes no sense.

A man was killed.

A man, minding his business in his own apartment, was killed.

Two shots and gone.

A man — a garden if you will, filled with budding seeds, seeds sown by those who loved him.

A man with dreams, aspirations and goals. A somebody to many. A son, brother, friend, partner and so fourth.

Two shots, and now the many carry the burden of the loss. The heaviness of what could have been.

As an outsider looking in, I am weighed down by the pain, stewing in anger at this tragic and unnecessary loss. I want the full extent of the law, because that is what makes sense. Justice must be served. But here comes the verdict, and it’s a sinking feeling. Like wow! Is that really how much value the law places on his life? Others have received longer sentences for way lesser crimes! How very unsettling.

Then the plot thickens, and in comes his brother, the hero in this sad story waltzing in to embrace the one who so carelessly took away from him. He went against the grain, and loved on the source of his pain. The dust hadn’t even settled, and he had it in him to do this? This is some upper echelon type of grace. Aspirational.

I was, if I may be honest, a hodgepodge of mixed feelings. Slight irritation, a pinch of annoyance, a litre of anger and much more. I almost felt betrayed even. Like Oh hell no! No way did he just…Me, the christian, and my first reaction was…thaaaa heck!

Do you see why we need God more than the air we breathe? For this very reason…

To be able to die to flesh even when everything in you wants to judge and hate. To love your enemy |Matthew 5:44|, such a bold statement of faith. One that glorifies God in the most outlandish, borderline insane way. A way most people, like myself would turn their noses up to.

This audacious show of grace sparked worldwide conversations about a word we speak so little of these days, forgiveness; and isn’t this what it means to be light in the world? There goes God again, showing me and all who will see that light will always swallow up darkness |John 1:5|.

Oh, it most definitely hurt when Jesus was pinned to the cross, yet he used whatever iota of strength he had left to ask his Father to forgive those who persecuted him |Luke 23:34|. This man Brandt Jean is a picture of walking like Jesus walked.

Help me Lord. Help me to be more like you.

Happy monyaaaaaaaaaaaaaY!!!

xoxo

picture @pinterest