And we thought the 60s were hard.
Social injustice, riots, folks burning flags (or bras), people injured or killed. These things raged in the 60s, and it’s the same today. Writer and philosopher, George Santayana, coined the phrase, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Truth, indeed.
In an ultra-sensitive society, every word we speak, every ounce of history lost, drives an offensive sliver of wood under someone’s fingernail. Yet here we are—allowing our past to be forgotten again—and we’re spiraling back into the same mistakes. The hurtful words one person screams are retaliated by the angry words of another. It would seem we face a lose-lose situation.
God frequently reminded His children not to forget He’d brought them from bondage. He told them to remember His commands and what He’d done to provide for them. God reminded them because He knew how easily people could fall into making the same mistakes again. When He told His people to impress His commands on their children, to talk about them, and to bind them on their foreheads, it was an effort to help them remember not only their blessings but also their mistakes. It was an effort to prevent history from repeating itself.
Remembering the loving kindness and the discipline of God helps us step over the mistakes into new and safer pathways. God’s love never waivers, even when our selfishness takes us to places we could avoid. The prayers we raise before the Lord for protection and peace in this time of upheaval can easily be stifled in the face of controversy—lost in the failure to remember our past. We must remember the mighty power and faithfulness of the Lord our God.
In a time when things are difficult and others are easily offended…remember. Remember to show forgiveness. Give understanding. Speak love. Never forget who you are in Christ.
Remember to be the light Christ asked you to be, even during hardship.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Cindy K. Sproles is a best-selling, award-winning author. She is a speaker and a conference teacher who teaches nationwide. Cindy is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries, www.christiandevotions.us, and www.inspireafire.com. She serves as a writing mentor with WRAMS (Writing Write Author Mentoring Service) and is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.