In the movie, The Color Purple, there is a song, “God is Tryin’ to tell You Somethin’”.
I believe God speaks in a variety of ways. He has spoken to me through bumper stickers, secular songs, Disney Movies, my young children, and of course through traditional means. Yesterday, God was tryin’ to tell me somethin’ and He used Facebook and old TV shows to do it.
As I mindlessly scrolled through Facebook yesterday, I came upon an article about Beth Moore. She spoke about leaving the Southern Baptist Convention. Her decision was difficult. What she did took courage and a determination to stand up for equality for all women.
God reminded me that sometimes standing up for what you believe may require walking away from tradition, from the familiar into the unknown. You may loose friends and livelihood but when God says go, it’s time to go.
Then I watched an 80’s sitcom, A Different World. Jessie Jackson was the guest star. His voice resonated as only a Southern Black Pastor’s can as he reminded me that major changes can happen in a nation because one person can make a difference. To truly lead, one must encourage their followers to think differently, to see differently, to be different. But in order to make a difference, you must be comfortable with pain.
After a nap, back to Facebook. A Caucasian male, wrote something very similar to my thoughts. I wondered if he would receive the same backlash I received for speaking a similar truth. But then God said, “wrong question.” I had planted seeds. This person was watering the word. God was sending someone to reap the harvest. Don’t believe the lie that your voice is unheard. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Am I planting a seed, am I watering, or am I reaping.” Then articulate your truth loudly, clearly and most importantly in love.
My final lesson came from a Walton’s episode. One of the son’s grappled with a decision that forced him to evaluate what he believed. He had to get alone and ask himself, “Why do I believe what I believe.”
So what was God tryin’ to tell me?
1. Be strong and courageous. Use my voice to say the unpopular when it comes to equity in this country. I may loose friends and book sales but I can look myself in the mirror and know I spoke my truth.
2. Through Christ who gives me strength, I can make a difference. I can start a movement.
3. When I am led by the Holy Spirit to speak, I am assured His Word will not return void. I can be confident that I am either sowing, watering or reapingl, but I am making a difference.
4. Sometimes we have to get alone and grapple with our beliefs. Why do we believe what we believe? Tradition? Family expectations? Wanting to be part of a group? True conviction from God? We must be true to what we believe God is speaking even if it’s unpopular.
How is God speaking to you today? What is he saying?
“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride.”
Job 33:14-17 NLT