Proverbs 29: 24 Whoever
is a partner with a thief hates his own life.
He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
Proverbs
29: 24. If you keep quiet about the
crime in your community, then you are part of the problem. Or, to put it in Biblical terms, you are “a
partner” with the problem. This thing we
have in some of our communities, where we protect the people we need to be
protected from------ that’s stupid, ; it’s sinful; and it’s self-destructive.
Destructive
social mechanism come into play in a neighborhood that enables criminals to
operate with impunity. But, do you understand
how the culture of silence activates destructive spiritual mechanisms?
Sin,
particularly the collective and unrepentant sin of a people whom God has
delivered out of great trouble and into great promises, cries out for judgment.
If basically everybody in a community collectively
does the same wrong then, it sets off a spiritual chain reaction that explodes
in Divine wrath----- in this world, in our physical, financial, biological,
academic lives.
But,
of course you might respond that “Everybody in the neighborhood isn’t a
criminal. Most folks aren’t partners and
accomplices with the criminals.”
Well,
let me ask: Is the lookout for a group of murderers considered an accomplice to
the murder?
Yes.
And
what does a lookout do?
He/she
watches, sees, does nothing to stop the crime, but uses his/her voice to
protect those who commit it.
When
the culture of a community becomes so twisted that people see crime every day
and do nothing; that they watch and know
the evil being done, but they say nothing, and when they have the chance to
speak out, they speak only of what others owe the neighborhood and how the
criminals (closest to them) should not be held to account------ that’s not the
behavior of a neighbor. That’s the work
of a lookout.
Through
the whole “No Snitching” culture, we make ourselves accomplices, partners, and co-conspirators
with the people who are destroying us.
Ironically,
in these same communities, we talk about and tell everything else.
We
share everybody’s sins, but report nobody’s crimes. In other words, we gossip; but we won’t
testify.
Everybody
knows who slept with whom behind closed doors last night, but nobody knows who shot
that kid out in the middle of the street in broad daylight?......?
You
can pick up an lookout, but as long as he refuses to be a witness, he remains
an accomplice. Even under oath, and accomplice swears to tell the truth, but reveals
nothing.
In
the eyes of God, an accomplice, whether an individual or neighborhood, is
inviting wrath upon himself/ themselves.
The silent and unrepentant accomplice is self-destructive. Despite loud protest to the contrary, his/their
action say that they want their
community to keep getting worse. The partner with a thief hates his own life.
What
am I implying?
I’m
not implying. I’m reading.
I’m
reading the Bible, and the Bible says that God wants you/us to STOP GOSSIPPING,
and START SNITCHING.
---Anderson T. Graves II
Anderson
T. Graves II is a writer, community organizer and
consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall
Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more
about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme@blogspotcom.
If you enjoy our work, please help support our work
in the community. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
No comments:
Post a Comment