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October 17, 2021 8:00 pm
For thirty long years, the African American woman worked faithfully for a large global ministry. Yet when she sought to talk with co-workers about racial injustice, she was met with silence. Finally, however, in the spring of 2020—as open discussions about racism expanded around the world—her ministry friends “started having some open dialogue.” With mixed feelings and pain, she was grateful discussions began, but wondered why it took her colleagues so long to speak up.
Silence can be a virtue in some situations. As King Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7).
Silence in the face of bigotry and injustice, however, only enables harm and hurt. Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoeller, jailed in Nazi Germany, confessed that in a poem he penned after the war. “First they came for the Communists,” he wrote, “but I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.” He added, “then they came for” the Jews, the Catholics, and others, “but I didn’t speak up.” Then finally “they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up.”
It takes courage—and love—to speak up against racism and injustice. Seeking God’s help, however, we recognize the time to speak is now.
Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading titled a time to speak was written by Patricia Raven for 30 long years, the African-American woman worked faithfully for a large global ministry yet which he sought to talk with coworkers about racial injustice. She was met with silence. Finally, however, in the spring of 2020 as open discussions about racism expanded around the world. Her ministry friends started having some open dialogue with mixed feelings and pain.
She was grateful.
Discussions began silence can be a virtue in some situations as King Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens, a time to be silent and a time to speak.
Silence in the face of bigotry and injustice. However, only enables harm and hurt Lutheran pastor Martin a motor jailed in Nazi Germany for speaking out confess that in the poem he penned after the war. First they came for the Communists, he wrote, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist he added.
Then they came for the Jews. The Catholics and others, but I didn't speak up. Finally, they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak up. It takes courage and love to speak up against injustice seeking God's help, however, we recognize the time to speak is now today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses one through seven.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens, a time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to uproot a time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing a time to search and a time to give up a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to men a time to be silent in the time to speak. Let's pray dear God when we observe injustice and cruelty in any form give us the courage to speak out in defense of those who have no voice. Thank you Lord it's in Jesus name we pray.
Amen. Thanks for listening today.
My name is Joyce Dinkins. In today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries
