Care to watch a video clip? Here we go!!
I am reminded of Season 1, episode 5: Genesis 3: 12, "The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Episode 1 is when God creates the heavens; Episode 2-He makes man: Episode 3: He makes woman: Episode 4: Adam and Eve are walking in total dominion: Episode 5: The Blame game-Disavowing responsibility is birthed.
Fast forward to July 20th, 2010; it seems like I am re-living Genesis 3:12 in a different light. This time, we have video evidence, compared to the days of Adam and Eve. Season 1 Episode 1: Who is Shirley Sherrod? Episode 2: The 24 Year old Story: Episode 3: Shirley Sherrod-Racist: Episode 4: Shirley Sherrod Fired: Episode 5: The blame game-disavowing responsibility re-established. I am still scratching my head at the story of Shirley Sherrod, former USDA Georgia State Rural Development Director. When Episode 1-5 of the Shirley Sherrod Show took place, The Agriculture Department, NAACP, Breitbart the Blogger (I choose to call him this), and Fox News, to mention a few, where quick to call on the resignation of Sherrod. In trying to defend herself, Sherrod was not heard, and forced to resign. Up until that point, she was the "Racist" who was not willing to help a white man-24 years ago.
Then the tables turned; the complete video clip, which earlier defamed her character because it was edited, to say the lest, was shown in its entirety. All of a sudden, everyone begins to back pedal, or apologize-at least that's what we think-wrong!! Kind of reminds me of a conversation The Teacher has with his student- “Don't jump to conclusions - there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw. In the heat of an argument, don't betray confidences; Word is sure to get around, and no one will trust you.” (Proverbs 25:8-MSG) In short, NAACP, Fox News, Breitbart the Blogger, Ministry of Agriculture, “Don’t jump to conclusions,” or as another translation puts it, “Do not go out hastily to argue your case; otherwise what will you do in the end…?” (vs. 8: NASB).
As I listened and watched the Sherrod story unfold, my entire attitude was simple-even though I gasped at what I was seeing; “How guilty am I of the same actions of jumping to conclusions without knowing all the facts?” “How easy is it for me to justify my actions with the limited information I have without considering ALL the facts and the other person?” “Have I taken the time to pray before passing judgment?” “Have I sought counsel before delivering on my actions?” I had to look at the Sherrod story as a wake up call for my own spiritual journey; truth be told, we all have some “Fox, NAACP, Breitbart the Blogger, Ministry of Agriculture, etc, Syndrome” in us-Jumping to conclusions, believing our conclusions, standing by our conclusions….UNTIL!!!
What is so amazing about this entire story was what happened after the ‘TRUTH” came out. The Obama Administration apologized and admitted they acted hastily; Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack apologized publicly and privately to Sherrod; The NAACP apologized; Fox News and Breitbart the blogger, who brought this to our “attention” decided to play the blame game. They asked the following questions: Did the Obama administration act too fast? Why did they rush to judgment without getting all the facts right?-it was their responsibility. (Hmm…interesting perspective-considering the media that broke the news did not do its homework either). The same news organization, which 24 hours earlier condemned Sherrod-played edited clips of the video in question-asked for her resignation immediately-all of a sudden 24 hours later, are blaming the whole world, but themselves. Did they publicly apologize to Sherrod for the half baked truth they presented? If you can call an apology mixed with criticism, defiance, to say the lest, an apology-then I guess YES? It was Episode 1, scene 5 of the book of Genesis-Playing the Blame Game-Disavowing Responsibility.
What has happened to HUMILITY? Is pride that steeped into our blood system that when we have wronged someone and driven their name through the mud, we still refuse to acknowledge our wrong doings?
What has happened to BROKENNESS? To be able to look someone in the eye and say, “You know what, I really did not do my homework and I judged you wrongly, I am truly sorry.”
Am I that DECEIVED that even in the midst of compelling evidence and facts, I still refuse to accept responsibility and blame every body else and not even take a shred of responsibility?
Am I so quick to jump to conclusions, make my case, justify my actions, and hurt someone so that I can come out on top? Am I that evil? Can I manipulate so easily and call it justice?
I was so afraid at what I saw unfold in the Sherrod story-afraid not so much for Fox News and whatever media outlet out there, but afraid for me, afraid of the evil that is bound up in the heart of humanity-that I can look at a circle and see its a circle, but choose to call it a square because its all relative. I am afraid for me when I choose to play the blame game with my actions and completely disavow responsibility. I am afraid of me, when I am wrong and I choose not to admit I am wrong-choosing to allow someone else to hurt so bad so that I can save face. I am afraid of me for what could become if I choose not to look at my fellow human being as someone who has feelings, breathes just like I do, and has a blood flow just like I do, but choose to consider them as an object-nothing more, nothing less. I am afraid of Me.
Jeremiah would agree with me when he writes, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 17:9-10
I NEED HIS GRACE!!!
