In the Imperial War Museum in London, at the end of the Holocaust and Auschwitz exhibition is a quote attributed to Edmund Burke:
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Since the death of George Floyd, the media spotlight has turned to issues of racism and injustice. This gives us the opportunity to do two things – to listen and to speak.
We were given two ears and only one mouth, and I want to use them in that proportion – to listen twice as long as I speak. I commit to listen to those who have experienced racism first hand, and to sit in my discomfort as I hear stories of disgraceful behaviour by people who look like me towards those who don’t.
I commit to use my voice to speak out against the injustice and inequality that sadly still exist. Around the world we see this in many forms – people being discriminated against because of their race, religion, creed, gender or nationality, and as Christians we can raise our voices to call this out and name it as wrong. The God we serve is a God of justice and righteousness, who calls us into a Kingdom where there is no Greek or Jew, male or female, slave or free, because we are all one in Christ Jesus.
I want to learn and grow from this. George Floyd’s death will not be in vain.