It is OK to have different views and opinions than someone else.
What’s not ok is to disrespect someone because you don’t agree with them.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”
As Christians, we have a very clear responsibility to love our neighbor just as we love ourselves. There’s no question about it.
Then Jesus goes on to show exactly who our neighbor is by telling the beautiful story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37)
Here’s the main thing I want people to hear.
As Christians, if we don’t show love, we don’t show Jesus.
We can’t say that we love God and love most people. Doesn’t work. As I posted the controversial post yesterday about Collin Kaepernick, I knew people weren’t going to be happy about it, I knew that people would comment back with harsh words, I knew people would unfollow me and unfriend me, I fully expect people that are reading this to unsubscribe from my blog, and I expect certain people to treat me differently unfortunately. And that’s ok. I won’t ever write to please anyone, but to educate, encourage, inspire, unify, and challenge. My goal for yesterday was to educate and challenge those around me to read my post as unbiased as possible and just give a different view. It’s so important for us to LISTEN. Sometimes all it takes someone taking a step back and seeing it through a different pair of eyes.
That’s all I wanted people to do. I was so proud of my generation for the support that they showed me through comments and likes. People speak so poorly of millennials and Gen Z, but something we don’t struggle with is openness! We truly understand that it’s ok to have different views. We still love each other. Still friends with each other. Still, respect each other. I truly tried to show people as much love as possible yesterday. Some noticed some didn’t. It’s not our job to get them to notice, but to be obedient to the lifestyle that God has called us to.
I would challenge anyone reading this to ALWAYS PURSUE YOUR CONVICTIONS & PASSIONS! Don’t be afraid.
I didn’t expect to be talking about personal and controversial topics like this so quickly, but topics like this are exactly what I’m writing about for my next blog post. Pursuing your passions. We also need to continue to normalize the discussion tough and controversial topics and continue to diversify our friend groups. instead of being silent.
If we don’t discuss controversial topics, then Satan can use those few moments of silence to build a lifetime of hatred.
Below you’ll see my facebook post about the CK situation. I would encourage you to go read through the comments of my post as well. One thing I’ll add is that I don’t support the socks that he wore or the Castro shirt. That’s where he messed up but remember, we all make mistakes and we’re all broken people.
” I’ll give my opinion about the Colin Kaepernick situation. Mainly just because I do think it’s good to hear different opinions and as a black young male, this topic is one that heavily involves me and many other people that I know. Like I’ve said before, you might be offended, you might want to unfriend me or unfollow the blog, and that’s ok.
I stand firmly with Kaepernick. Or should I say that I kneel with him?
No one should EVER quiet their voice to please those around us.
I also am thankful for those that represent our country to protect our freedoms. For anyone that has served or is currently serving our country. Thank you!
Something that I’ve tried to do, even as a kid is to simply put myself in someone else’s shoes. It goes SUCH a long way.
I challenge you to do the same.
I’ve always been interested in history, Especially black history and the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1955 the Montgomery Bus Boycott was taking place because Rosa Parks sat in the front of the bus and didn’t give her seat up to a white man. What bravery. She was willing to risk everything at that moment. A hero in my eyes, and many others.
in 1968 MLK went to Memphis, Tennessee to march with sanitation workers. Why? Because Echol Cole and Robert Walker were accidentally crushed to death while eating their lunch in the back of the trash truck. Many times, blacks were forced to eat in the rain simply because of their skin color. MLK would end up truly risking everything as he would get assassinated while standing on his motel balcony. A hero in my eyes and many others.
In 1965, in Alabama, a peaceful protest turned violent as 600 peaceful demonstrators participated in the Selma to Montgomery march to protest the killing of a black civil rights activist by a white police officer and encourage legislation to enforce the 15th amendment. This event is also known as Bloody Sunday. Unarmed men and women were beaten for walking across a bridge. Over 100 protesters were hurt in that march. Once again, men and women willing to risk everything. Heroes in my eyes and many others.
Since blacks were brought to America, there has been a consistent theme of injustice and racially inequality. SO many have died and risked everything for me to even be typing this post. I CAN NOT take that lightly. I owe it to the big names like MLK, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Emmet Till, and to the names of those that risked everything because they believed in something bigger than themselves that we will never know.
Colin Kaepernick is doing exactly what so many before he did. Peaceful protests. Just like MLK. Just like Rosa Parks. Just like John Lewis.
I get it. He protested during the national anthem. We all have platforms, he used his to bring attention to the topic. He is simply saying: how can I stand for a country that won’t stand for people that look like me.
He clearly states from the beginning that his intentions are not to disrespect veterans, but to protest racial injustice. He took the advice to kneel from a former Green Beret to kneel instead of sitting.
Colin Kaepernick has/is risking everything. He risked his career kneeling for something that he believes in, knowing that he may never play again. He risked his financial stability, comfort, image, and yes even his life as he has and probably will, unfortunately, continue to receive death threats.
Whether you agree or disagree, we all have a responsibility to follow our convictions and pursue to be the change that we want to see in the world.”
That’s it for this blog post! Be on the lookout for my next post about pursuing your passions and why it’s so important!
Remember, we all need encouragement no matter the season we’re in.
Levi Yancy 