Ferguson Funeral: Twisting Scriptures for a Narrative

It is always a tragedy when someone dies at the hands of another, no matter what the circumstances. As a parent I can only sympathize with parents who child who is killed by someone else, and as a Christian, it’s always a sad thing for all involved when anyone is killed or murdered by another.

What happened between 18 year old Michael Brown and Officer Wilson happen all over the country, and no matter what color skin someone has, it changes the lives of all involved. Parents and family of those who die violently are impacted hardest and the grief must be incredible to have to bear, yet those who kill, whether justified or not, have to live with their actions for the rest of their lives.

That said I have to question the parts of the sermon given at Michael Brown’s funeral which was attended by media, rap stars and civil rights leaders. Brown’s uncle, Pastor Charles Ewing, gave a eulogy and compared much of Michael Brown’s life and death to that of Jesus Christ.

Not only did Pastor Ewing compare Michael Brown’s time of death to the time of our Savior’s death, but also remarked that like Jesus’ declaration of his own coming death, Brown predicted his own:

“Michael Brown prophetically spoke of his demise. Not giving justification or legalizing this officer — it does not give him the right to take his life. Judas when he betrayed Jesus Christ — he yet have to suffer the consequences.”

Notice that he compares Michael to Jesus, but Jesus wouldn’t have been alleged to have stolen or assaulted anyone. He then compares Officer Wilson to Judas as if he has the right to say what was in Wilson’s heart at the time of death. We all know Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot, because scriptures detail it. As for Officer Wilson’s actions, that’s enough in the people’s minds to not only convict Wilson without a trial but to judge his soul as well.

I didn’t know Michael Brown; neither do I know any of the thousands of people who die violent deaths every year. I didn’t see the side that his family knew, just as I didn’t see the innocent side of thousands of kids who are murdered due to any evil. As a Christian and a mom, I can identify with one portion of Pastor Ewing’s words, “There is a cry being made from the ground not just for Michael Brown, but for the Trayvon Martins, for those children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, for the Columbine massacre, for the black-on-black crime — there is a cry being made from the ground and God is hearing the vengeance of his slain…”

If there is a plea from everyone however, it should be that our society remember the Lord, because generations have failed to teach or to be role models to their children and others, on living a life according to God’s will, and Jesus’ command to love one another. Our children may attend a church building once a week for a couple of hours, and there they may hear some scriptures- but what are they learning the rest of the time? Through their music, movies, public education and society, they have been taught that life is cheap; that what they covet, they somehow deserve it.

Tragedies like this shouldn’t be a color issue, but people have made it into one, including many pastors who should know better. Pastors should be holding their flocks accountable for behavior which leads to many societal problems- men who father babies by multiple women and fail to support them, women who have babies by multiple men, parents who don’t care if their kids associate with the wrong crowds, or fail to notice. Pastors who focus more on blaming others instead of teaching that God said thou shalt not have any gods before Him, shalt not steal, not kill- and thou shalt not covet. Too many Pastors have made the government their god, have supported abortion rights, and taught to covet what is not theirs by supporting welfare for those who won’t work by the labors of those who have to work harder.

Those aren’t color issues- they happen among whites, blacks, Hispanics and others, yet by a secular society, these are allowed because somehow government and people who vote consistently for them have become more important than God who gives all, no matter the color of skin, abilities and talents.

Until those who use Jesus to push a narrative remember that God created all of us, and that “Vengeance belongs to the Lord” we will continue seeing tragedies such as what has happened over and over in our world- not just in Ferguson Missouri.

Until those pastors visit others of all races who are touched by violent crime and plead for a spiritual revival instead of law suits and money, things will never change. We live in a fallen world, and only One can save it. Indeed, One has already paid for the sins of the Michael Browns and the Officer Wilsons of this world- it’s a choice that people need to make whether they will choose Him or the temporary desires of this world.

Pastors have a duty to those they pastor, and they need to remember that our Lord is a Holy Righteous God, and while we may be angry when things happen, we have no right to judge the heart of a man even if our legal system can judge his actions. God knows what was in the heart of both Michael Brown and Officer Wilson. Leave the judgment to Him and figure how to heal communities through the good news of the Gospel, instead using scripture to pass a narrative and driving a wedge which is dividing us deeper.