“We cut a program, we didn’t cut people.”
“We cut a program, we didn’t cut people.”
Now most of us have never felt what it’s like to be physically stabbed, but after hearing this, a wound was cut so deeply in me as a person, I didn’t know how to react. I felt like someone just took a rambo knife, shoved it deep in my gut, twisted it 180 degrees, then pulled it out. How would that feel to you? I tend to ask questions when writing my blogs because my mind often works in questions and answer phases. If one question gets asked and answered, another one quickly pops up.
Sure the statement shows ignorance…That’s why I pose this question - What is the meaning behind this statement?
One person told me that the person was attempting to dehumanize their actions. I would agree with this. But I think it goes far deeper than that. I think the statement reveals the heart of the individual. Now when a heart issue is revealed, how do we confront this?
Now how do I confront this statement, when I am personally affected by it. How do we as a community confront this statement?
I don’t know if I have an answer for this other than extending grace when grace isn’t often due. Isn’t this what Christ did for me? I don’t deserve His grace, but He freely gives it to me. So I am called as a Christian to extend my grace to others.
Ok….so now the question becomes, how do I respond to an ill will of someone’s heart, with grace in mind and at the forefront? How do I answer this one?
The community I live in deserves an answer…It deserves individuals that have a true hearts desire to see positive change. Not some pie in the sky dream, or a nice, pretty looking graph with pretty colors… True change in the lives of kids, true change in the lives of family…TRUE CHANGE.
Change that no longer looks at data and says “What pretty colors on these graphs…” But change that recognizes that there are lives attached to every piece of data that walks through people’s doors…Change that says, “You are not a number, you are a person and I want to see you succeed. Even if this takes me to fail and me to sacrifice…”
That’s change.
We all fail. We all make mistakes. We all say stupid things. But we must realize this fact, come to grips with it, and confront it head on.
I witnessed this confrontation, I witnessed a challenge to this statement, and I am proud of what was said because I know it was with grace in mind. I know the person confronting this statement has experienced this heart issue within the community, and within themselves. I know that this person has a true desire for change. A true heart for our city. One that is willing to confront some deep issues that we all face in our community. Knowing that grace must be extended. But this grace that has been given does not mean that the community will allow people to walk over them any longer. It was said with an authority.
I am proud that a face was given to the individual that said this statement. That person now has the option to truly look inside their heart, and see the change that needs to take place. Then and only then, can true change begin to happen. Then that person will look at the role they have in our community and see how they can make change happen.
“We cut a program, we didn’t cut people.”
Our community was cut. I was cut. And this cut was deep. But it will heal.
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” ~1 Peter 2:24
