Four Months From Ferguson

On August 9, Michael Brown was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, who was at that time a police officer in the city of Ferguson, MO. Here we are in December of the same year, and the United States is a different place. In four months people across the nation have united under the banner of civil rights and racial profiling. Even a few of our professional athletes have become openly opinionated on the issue. It’s difficult now to turn on the news or visit a news or social website without being bombarded by one opinion or another concerning the ruling on the case, and the not so peaceful protests that are continuing even now. While the Scriptures speak plainly about our submission to the government (Romans 13:1ff), this article isn't here to discuss that side of the issue. Let’s focus on the timeline.

Four months. Four months and it’s everywhere in the news. Four months and everyone has assessed the evidence. Four months and every person in the United States has an opinion. Four months and people are ready to adamantly defend their conclusions. Four months.

Careful now, Christians: In four months have we begun to carry the banner of Michael Brown or Darren Wilson more diligently than the cross of Christ? Have we allowed Satan to unite us under a cause other than saving the lost? Have we become distracted?

Remember the lesson we learn from Jesus in Luke 10:38–42:

"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.""

Are you “worried and bothered” like Martha? Are you forgetting the “one thing” that was necessary, the “good part” which Mary had chosen? It seems Christians are often caught up in the latest scandal and we often do more work to profess our opinion on world events than we do to advance the gospel of Christ. Remember, Jesus had one goal on earth, and He has given us the same goal:

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  -Luke 19:10

Have you become distracted?