Bread Bite: Slow To Speak

To share words of encouragement during these trying times, here is your Southern Cancer Center Friday “Bread Bite”, brought to you by Pastor Brock Bruce from Christian Life Church in Mobile, AL.

Pastor Brock –

As is evident these past several days our nation is broken, divided, hurting, like sheep without a shepherd. Many of you are hurting. Many of you are trying to understand the events of the past couple of weeks. Many of you are trying to work to bring healing to others while you are feeling broken yourself. My hope for you is that you would see your intrinsic value as an image-bearer of God. You matter to God. You matter so much that Jesus took the pain of every injustice and sin and carried it to the cross. You matter.

The only hope for healing and wholeness in our nation is repentance. It’s getting back to the simple yet hard teaching of Christ- to love the LORD with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as we love our self.

I am praying, hoping, working for racial understanding and healing. I am praying for shalom. For justice and mercy to roll like a river, for righteousness like a mighty stream. I’m praying for healing. I’m praying for deescalation. I’m praying for shalom. I’m praying for a new day in Christ.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to become angry.” James 1:19 (ESV)

Quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. He tells us that God judges favoritism and unjust behavior. Paul instructs us to weep with those who weep. It’s hard to mourn with the mourners if we don’t listen to their cries. Before we can fix injustice we have to sit with the tears of the marginalized. I believe that is what Jesus would do. I believe that is what Jesus did.