Unless you’ve been under a rock or out of the country, I’m sure you’ve heard the controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the National Anthem in support of Black Lives Matter. People claim he can’t associate with African-American males on the street because he was raised by white parents and makes millions of dollars. A lot of people are angry because they see his kneeling as a sign of disrespect.
Teaching Them Early
Okay. I get that.
But how often have you gone to a sporting event or other venue where they’ve played the National Anthem and people surrounding you were either talking or on their smart phones? Did you say something to them? Chances are not. It’s easier to complain online about a stranger than to do so face-to-face.
But is the hypocrisy of Kaepernick, a million dollar football palyer, a good battle cry?
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We are all hypocrites. We cannot see ourselves or judge ourselves the way we see and judge others. – José Emilio Pacheco, author
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Disrespect is all around us, even in church. I see the same people coming into service, usually during the music, and they shove people over or scoot around them instead of waiting until the song is finished. They don’t seem to care if we’re praying either.
And how about how you treat your waitress on a Sunday after service? Do you leave a tip for your server or just the program from church?
All Servers Deserve Respect
Disrespect is all around us, but we need to choose our battles more wisely. Matthew 7:5 reads, You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. While we’re concerned with the actions of a football player we’ve never met, we are not so fast to look at our own behavior.
So what if Kaepernick wants to kneel. I’d find it more disrespectful if he were texting or on Facebook. My issues are the hypocrites who feel people don’t have a right to be angry about it. Kaepernick has every right to kneel during the National Anthom. It’s his freedom. But I also have a right not to purchase game tickets and to destroy his football jersey if I’ve paid for it.
It’s the same with Christians. We need to ask ourselves daily if our actions are being disrespectful of Jesus and our faith? Do we actually treat others the way we’d like to be treated?
I challenge you the next time you go out to lunch after church to leave a large tip. Show your server the respect they deserve for serving you. With everything you do and everyone you come in contact with, make respect your battle cry.
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