I Was a Part of the Problem

*This is my own individual experience growing up in Tyler*

I graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas. It feels sleazy to continue writing this and not share that fact. I grew up surrounded by an 'us and them' mentality - I grew up in segregation. Those colors, these colors; those schools, these schools; North Tyler, South Tyler. 
The war was long over, yet hate still reigned. 

There were churches on almost every corner, every street, in every neighborhood. But if you had walked inside many of the buildings, the congregation looked just as segregated as the streets. It was an unspoken, uncomfortable reality. Peace was often preached when there was no peace. It was living out of the flesh. It was evil.

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." (Galatians 5:13-16)

The devouring can stop. The flag-waving can stop. The undercurrents of discomfort, ignorance, and hate can stop. The trips to the other side of the world to love others, only to return to a segregated-mindset must stop. The colors of flesh hating other colors of flesh will stop. 

And in the Kingdom they have stopped. In Him they have stopped.

But what about now in the tangible reality? What about today in Virginia? What about tomorrow in the South?

For more years than I'd like to utter, I walked in the flesh regarding racial evils. I was a part of the problem. It's hard to type that sentence, but it's the truth. Things inside me felt off, as they should have, as I was walking in fear, judgement, and ignorance - all contrary to my true identity as a Jesus-follower. A desire to be set free in this area was sparked amidst rampant violence breaking out in the U.S, but freedom from what feels natural is HARD. So I asked Him to heal me, because that's what He does. His light began to shine into the dark recesses of my soul - pockets and corners were illuminated where prideful and judgmental dust bunnies hung out and clinked their glasses every time I made an assumption or walked in ignorance. Their party was over. Freedom broke it up.

You choose how you walk. You can walk in the flesh, against Jesus, or in the Spirit, with Jesus. If you walk in the Spirit, IT stops. If you walk in the Spirit you will not carry out the desires of racism. If you walk in the Spirit you will not carry out the desires of hate. If you walk in the Spirit you will be set free and see generational sin healed. If you walk in the Spirit you can love your neighbor, even if your community is segregated, and even if it feels uncomfortable. If you walk in the Spirit Jesus will gently yet boldly, lead you to love radically - just as He did, as He does, and as He will. 

"Hate cannot drive out hate; only LOVE can do that."
And flesh cannot heal flesh; only Jesus can do that. 🌼