Ok so I am writing this on August 30th and not August 28th, the primary reason for this is that there have been a lot of issues going through my mind with recent events. These events have me thinking about how should we respond and how as disciples of Christ do we do so in a manner reflecting Christ. Let me tell you a little bit more about my experiences this week thus far.

This weekend I spent much of my time worrying over friends and family I have along the Gulf coast. I watched as the storm (Hurricane Harvey) struck Rockport and surrounding areas, then I watched as it moved ashore and flooded the Houston area. On Sunday I delivered a sermon about rediscovering our “why” for discipleship and led the congregation in prayer for the people being harmed by Hurricane Harvey. I also encouraged our membership to consider making donations to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) where 100% of the proceeds will support aid efforts.

On Monday I joined over a hundred clergy and other faith leaders at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church as we commemorated 54th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The interfaith gathering was a powerful witness as we marched to a nearby statue of Robert E. Lee and prayed that whatever would be done with the statue would bring healing to our community and world from the cancer that is racism. Calling racism a cancer is a powerful metaphor. I believe one of the biggest problems with racism today is that we utter the phrase, “Well, it is better than it used to be.” Saying that is like telling a cancer patient that there is less cancer than there was before. While that brings a glimpse of hope to the patient, it does not signal the end of it. Like cancer, racism will longer be a problem until it is nothing more than a page in the history books. Like a cancer, we must make a decision that we are not done fighting racism until it is eradicated.

On Tuesday I watched the television again as I saw people all over coming to the aid of Houstonians and others in the Gulf Coast. I was in the same moment grieving and elating over the events in Southeast Texas. Then I read an article that I am sharing about not to create further debate, but rather to share a thought I had. The Houston Astros were due to begin a series with the Texas Rangers that was supposed to take place in Houston and then to Arlington in late September. The Houston Astros requested a swap of home series, which the Rangers declined due to several valid reasons. People were upset about the lack of sensitivity that was perceived in the Ranger’s decision. This was not an easy one for the Rangers to have made, but they had an opportunity to do something that as far as I know has not been done in Major League Baseball. They didn’t because the best business decision was to do as they now have done and keep their home series in late September as it is. The Rangers have shown compassion to the people of Houston in many ways, but they had the opportunity to do something that had never been done.

It is easy for us to give when it is comfortable or easy, but giving in such a way that burdens us is not. Hurricane Harvey is a current example of a storm disturbing our lives, but it is not the only one and will not be the last. The way in which we respond to the storms in life, be it a hurricane or racism, speaks loudly of who we are as disciples. As Christ’s disciples we should respond in the way in which we believe Christ would have. Remember this verse from the gospel of John, “greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his own life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Join us beginning on September 10th as we learn how we can respond as Christ’s disciples during and after the storms that interrupt our lives.