Ferguson

Esther 8:3-8

Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, weeping and pleading with him to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. The king held out the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther rose and stood before the king. She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have won his favor, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I have his approval, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote giving orders to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming on my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?” Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai, “See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he plotted to lay hands on the Jews.You may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.” 

I have to admit that I almost didn't know whether to post today or not.  I'm fueled too much today by anxiety and prayers for the people of Ferguson and for our nation.

But I decided to after all, and when I saw that this reading was the assigned reading for today (I am posting this Tuesday afternoon), I was floored by the synchronicity between this reading from Esther and what is happening today.

The Jews for most of the Old Testament were an oppressed people.  Here they have been absorbed into the Persian empire and as the story of Esther unfolds, they are primed to be victims of annihilation by the order of the Prime Minister, Haman.  

A subjected people victimized by those in power.

The tables here turn on Haman, and instead, as this chapter continues, the Jewish people are allowed to defend themselves and the violence instead will be turned against their oppressors.

It's not a happy ending, even if Esther gets credit for saving her people.

The reality is that when people are subjected, mistreated, and put down over and over again, violence will almost certainly be one of the unhappy outcomes.

It isn't the outcome God wants for any of God's people.

Our nation is polarized right now after the Grand Jury's findings in Ferguson last night.  Violence has erupted.

But peaceful protests have also erupted.  And hopefully, God willing, dialogue will erupt as well.  

Regardless of how you feel about the Grand Jury verdict, whether you agree with it or disagree with it, nonetheless, systemic racism exists in this nation.  And as a white American, I cannot even begin to understand what my black sisters and brothers have to go through on a daily basis. I cannot rightfully dismiss their anger at the events in Ferguson because I have never walked in their shoes.  I cannot dismiss their calls to be heard.  I cannot.

I also know this. When someone draws a line in the sand, Jesus will always be on the other side of that line.  Instead of drawing lines, Jesus calls us instead to cross lines with open hands reached out in love and understanding.  Jesus calls us to cry out for justice for our neighbor.

Esther's story does not have a happy ending.  Whenever violence is the end of the story, the ending can never be happy.

Martin Luther King had wise words that today I've been seeing everywhere and am taking to heart:  "We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools."

Lord God Almighty, free us from racism.  Free us from violence. Open our ears and hearts to our neighbor, and remind us that our neighbors span the width and breadth of your world.  Amen.