Self-Evident?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 

Self-evident. As in: Obvious. Self-explanatory. Clear as day. No other way to put it. No common sense needed.

PLOT TWIST: at the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence, nothing was self-evident. Because in America, a country created out of nothing, formed by land stolen from natives and an economy built on the blacks of slaves, the definition of "men" was limited to only a certain group of people.  Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness were only set aside for these special few, and these promises were only meant for them alone.

Arguably, many others are still kept outside of these truths to this day.  This is the United States of America.  This is the country in which I was born, raised and still reside. The irony is not lost on me that while we celebrate the diversity in the achievements of sport via the Olympics this week, our own country still struggles to celebrate the diversity of our achievements in many other arenas.

For example, Milwaukee is a city desperately trying to quench the fires that rose over the weekend in response to yet another black man, Sylville K. Smith, killed by police.  Milwauke has been noted as the most segregated city in the United States (yes in the North!). So the contrast of burning buildings and the cries of pain from its residents because their voices continue to be unheard to the burning Olympic torch and the cries of victory for Simone Biles, Simone Manuel, Michelle Carter, Daryl Homer, Laurie Hernandez, Ibtihaj Muhammad, and others, is a direct reflection of what it feels like for me today to love my country and be in constant agony as an American.

So that is why I do not place my faith in declarations of independence, or of election-year promises made by well-meaning candidates both local and federal. I do not place my heart and soul in the rhetoric of athletes who declare that our nation is "beyond race", or even in the sermons of preachers who decide to perform verbal gymnastics just help their diverse congregations grasp that black lives still matter (it's clearly not self-evident). All of these verbal devices are prone to failure and will let me down.

Instead, I choose to put my faith on the promises of God who remind me that I am loved, accepted, created on purpose for a purpose.  That God made me in his image: brown skin, kinky hair, big lips, thick thighs and all.  That while people may discredit me because of how I appear, that even when my coworker tells me that my afro-hair scares him (yes this actually happened this morning, btw)... I am bought with a price, that I am precious in God's eyes and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made with gifts and talents that no man can take away.

What God says about me isn't always self-evident, as the declaration of independence promises. But it is still true, it still stands, and it is also still a promise for you.

Today, I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith.  I pray that he will keep you in perfect peace as he does it for me every step of the way.  No matter what your country says, promises, or declares... God is the only one who can make good on his word, and he will never leave you hanging. It may not always be self-evident, but let Him prove it to you!

Today's Countries: Central African Republic, Chad, Clipperton Island (no flag), Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo

       

   

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