by Stephen W. Smith
A riot is the language of the unheard.--Dr. Martin Luther King
Understanding is the way forward. Understanding will help everyone breathe. Understanding will help everyone care. Understanding will help us know what needs to change and how we can transform culture together.
We will never care for our soul until we understand the soul. That was my journey--a journey of understanding of how complex I am; how unique I am; how fearfully and wonderfully made I am--and you too. This changed everything for me and will change everything for all of us as well. We will not care for anything--a plant--a dog--a hamster or a tomato plant until we understand what that living "thing" needs. The same is true of caring for a human being. We will not care until we understand. Dallas Willard said, 'Understanding is the beginning of care." I believe him on this!
Until I understand human dignity I will not honor human life of any color or any age or any ethnicity. Until I understand love-- I cannot really love and I will not offer love. Until I understand the high costs of not forgiving and not being forgiven, I will not forgive.
And the beginning of all understanding is listening. To listen is to love. Let me say it again, to listen is to love. I've learned that in my marriage, in my parenting, in my friendships and now I must learn this in this global pandemic disease of racism. I must listen. I must shut my mouth; not offer my opinions as a white male who was educated in great schools and just listen.
Understanding is the only way forward. And when we understand one another we will finally learn to love each other.
When George Floyd cried out, "I can't breathe!" What do you really understand he might have been saying? What can we listen to? What can we now understand?
I felt compelled today to record a new podcast for Potter's Inn Soul Care Conversation Podcast on "Understanding Human Dignity." Spoiler alert: When I give this talk around the world, it normally results in a standing ovation... Why? Because perhaps this talks helps articulates for some of us what we might be feeling but can't yet say--what might still be pre-verbal in our watching the news these days and feeling so saddened yet so paralyzed by thinking through what can I do? (the podcast will release in two weeks).
