“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”’ I Kings 19:4
Speaking truth to the powers can blow up your life and the lives of others; at other times it will transform your life, the lives of others, and even a community. No matter the consequence, summoning the courage to speak truth in the face of evil, injustice, cruelty, dishonesty, etc., is always a righteous response.
The above statement is a difficult truth I lived out this past year in two separate contexts—two different communities. In both, I contemplated keeping my mouth shut—going along to get along in order to maintain the status quo, thus keeping people happy and comfortable. After all, I thought, “why do I always have to be the one to say something? Why do I have to be the one who always sees, and says?” Frankly, I was tired of it! Poor me. I began to sound like Elijah sitting under a solitary broom tree atoganozing, “It is enough!” I too had had enough. Enough criticism, enough slander, enough of standing alone for what I knew to be right. While I stopped short of asking the Lord as Elijah did to, “take my life” I wanted out of ministry. Especially, ministry with “church folk.”
But there was something within, a power greater than myself that did not allow me to sit quietly in comfort. Eventually, I accepted the fact that I had been gifted with sight for a reason. God had given me back my voice for a reason. I was a womanist for a reason. And so, I spoke. And in both contexts there was a cost, a price to be paid.
In the first community, the price paid was loss, grief, anger, disappointment, displacement, hurt, pain, and separation.
In the second community, the cost of speaking truth to the powers led to pain, anger, defensiveness, then to humility, understanding, acceptance, forgiveness, hearing, listening, love, freedom, changed lives, and a transforming community.
The response by each of these communities were initially quite similar, yet ultimately, drastically different. It is quite clear that principalities and powers at work in any institution will always resist and fight against exposure. It is the same with us as human beings. Our natural inclination is to hide, cover up our flaws and weaknesses (just check out Adam & Eve). We don’t want to be exposed and so we hide. We resist. We defend. Consequently, at least initially, both communities had similar experiences. However, the second community pushed beyond the hurt, pain, and anger. They were open to hear and see.
Speaking truth to the powers is not easy, it will always have a cost. Just read Elijah’s story or the stories of any of the prophets of old. But, it is also necessary for transforming lives, communities, and our world.
RealTalkwithDrIrie 