Faith in the Cracks – Allowing God to seep into the cracks in our lives.

I spent last week in Birmingham at a conference (APCE is awesome). One of the experiences I had was touring the 16th Street Baptist Church where 60 years ago this September, 4 young girls died when dynamite planted under a staircase exploded. This happened 5 days after the schools were integrated on paper. That same day, we learned, 2 young men were also killed in Birmingham for being black and in the wrong place.

The church is across the street from the Alabama Civil Rights Museum and Kelly Ingram Park. Kelly Ingram Park is part of the Civil Rights Trail. This was the site of the Children’s March which was a peaceful protest met with water cannons and dogs by officer Bull Connor. In the museum, the recordings that played could have been made in recent weeks.

Sixty years ago bombings and beatings were all too common. And in recent weeks, another beating took place. This time in Memphis. Tyre Nichols was beaten by four police officers. He died in the hospital three days later from his injuries. Although the officers were black, I can’t help but think they are of the same mindset as Bull Connor all those years ago.

As a nation we need to stop and look at ourselves. Do we see others as fellow children of God or do we see one another as enemies to be feared? Do we not speak out when we see wrong because we are afraid of getting caught in the middle of it?

For those times when we turn a blind eye or silence ourselves. Lord forgive us. When we forget that all those around us are created in the God. Lord forgive us. When we fail to act because we allow fear to stand in the way. Lord forgive us.

Challenge for the coming days. Make eye contact and greet those who you encounter. See them as beloved children of God. See them as fully human, as someone’s child, spouse, sibling, or parent. See the good in people and make the world better.