25th May, a date that I’m sure that will live long in the memory of many, a date that may even change the course of history. The day when George Floyd passed away.

Isn’t it funny how often our minds can flitter from one thing to the next? Just five months ago everything that the UK public could talk about was Brexit. For the past four months we’ve been living under the conversation of coronavirus, and just two weeks ago this changed again as a nation turns its attention to the topic of justice under conversation of racial discrimination. For so many people 2020 will signify the year of change.

If you’re anything like me, as you see various scenes of protest, violence, sorrow, compassion, and varying level of forgiveness, you start to ask questions about “what is God is doing in this world?”. For much of the time I have no answers, and yet there is a growing uneasiness within our society to see injustices righted. For some people their response is a social media post, for others it’s a protest that may be forgotten about with the next media storm; but for others this is a lifelong battle to change our justice system to see those who are downtrodden, beaten, and underprivileged have the opportunities that their brothers and sisters of a different race have.

For me this sounds awfully familiar of the life and mission of Jesus Christ. For me Christians are called look out for their brothers and sisters which can be paraphrased in, “Love God and love people.” This is never been clearer than in the chapter of Matthew 22, where the religious leaders of the time are trying to undermine Jesus who is upholding a value of loving people over rules. The leaders ask Jesus the question, “What is the greatest commandment you can do?” Jesus being a Jew knows there are literally hundreds of laws that should be adhered to in order to make yourself right with God, and yet he cuts to the chase,

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind….and love people as yourself.”

I thank God that whatever goes on in our world today, whatever the media tries to tell us or have us believe, our response should always be the same – To love God and to love people.

Racism? Love God, love people.
Sexism? Love God, love people.
Prejudice? Love God, love people.
Disease? Love God, love people.
[Enter your situation here] – Love God, love people.

This is easier than it sounds, and yet at the same time there is a beautiful simplicity about it. Maybe as we come to Him today, we can come with a simple faith, in all our vulnerability and joys.
My prayer for you today is that you know that God loves you, and He’s dying for you to love him in return. Let’s be people of love as we love those in front of us today. Pray for:

  • Those who have faced years of racial discrimination – that their caries will be heard.
  • The leaders of this country to start to address injustices within our society.
  • Those individuals for whom they feel as though they are not loved by anyone – that God would come close to them.
  • For children and young people in the homes where love is not the first response. Pray that God would teach them how to love despite it not being modelled to them.

Dave Clarke – Director of Swindon Youth for Christ.