Last Monday my wife and I went to watch the
recently released movie, Selma. Now,
I could write you a brief review and talk about all the reasons that we liked it.
I could give you a rating based on a number of stars or thumbs up, but plenty
of others, far more qualified than I, have already done that. What I'd like to
do today is give you a short list of reasons why I recommend you go watch this
film.
1) It’s timely. Not because today is MLK Day
and not because Black History Month is up next, but because the message it
offers speaks to our nation right now.
Despite the fact that the events depicted in the film occurred nearly 50 years
ago, evidence of racism and corruption persist today. Granted, we have come a
long way, but clearly we still have a distance to travel. Selma illustrates the labor, toil, and unity necessary to bring
about change. It does not happen at one’s convenience; it is not a simple
process; sacrifices shall be made if such lofty goals of justice and equality are
to ever be fully realized. The film portrays this well and during a time that such a
message needs to be heard.
2) It’s about OUR history. While the movie’s central figure
is Martin Luther King, the story is much bigger than him. And this movie is not
about Black History but our history –
American History. Watch the film, then follow up with some research of your
own. This was a sad time in our nation’s history, but ignoring it does not make
it any less true. Meanwhile, embracing it for what it was and seeking to
understand the forces behind the events might just aid in avoiding such
atrocities in the future.
3) We need to talk about Selma. We need to talk about Ferguson. We need to have
conversations about our history – how far we’ve come and how much further we’ve
still yet to go. We need to dialogue about the issues that have divided, as
well as the ones that are currently causing friction. But as we pursue this, we
must do so with an eye on gospel reconciliation. As believers, we must maintain
a focused determination to seek an understanding of one another. We must desire
authentic unity and work tirelessly toward that goal. And before we can ever
walk in genuine peace, we must first be able to talk about and discuss these
difficult matters at hand.
4) There are many sweet pictures of
the Gospel. I cannot go into them all here
for I want you to go see this movie for yourself. However, I will share one of
my favorite themes from Selma. The
film highlighted Martin’s need for encouragement. Not only was he taking on the
violent, racist authorities of the South in a peaceful, non-violent way, but he
had other problems to deal with as well. Martin had some trouble at home, things
beyond the normal threats his family had grown accustomed to. There were also
divisions among the blacks that had to be addressed. Although these men and
women were working toward the same goal, they were not always on the same page.
Their methods varied and as a result, conflict came about. Can you imagine how
tiring it must have been? King was exhausted and fearful that he could not
finish his race. Thankfully, he had a Barnabas or two in his corner to offer up
truth when his flesh was weak. Folks, we need a community of friends in the
faith that can encourage us to endure this good fight we’ve been called to. The
movie truly captures this well.
5) At the end of the day, racial
issues are Gospel issues. Our only hope of finding
healing lies at the foot of the cross. If we can meet there, hand in hand, as
brothers and sisters in Christ, perhaps there we can find the healing our nation
so desperately needs. There we can finally see each other as fellow image
bearers of the King. There we will discover God-ordained equality and realize
the beauty of our differences; we can experience the growth and development of churches
ready to prepare us for the glorious diversity that will one day be enjoyed in heaven.
At the foot of the cross we will finally see racial lines and hindrances disappear;
we can learn to love and listen and empathize with one another. We can seek the
Spirit’s power to be longsuffering; we can find the fortitude to stand with each
other, even if we stand to gain nothing more than freedom for a friend; for a
cause of rejoicing in him, truly is enough.
Many of
us acknowledge that there is much brokenness and great need for healing in
regard to racial reconciliation. We often wonder what we can do to make a difference. I’m not certain that I know the answer, but I assume that it will
take doing something. We cannot sit
back and wait for the opportunities to come to us. We must pray for wisdom, for
guidance and discernment, then make a plan to get involved in working for a
solution. And your entry into this progress may start by simply buying a movie
ticket and having a conversation.
 |
| Matt Fowler - NBC Family Pastor of HS @fattmowler |
No comments:
Post a Comment