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After much prayer and meditation, I decided to respond to your Oct. 28, 2020 publication in regard to an opinion by Harold Keller.

First, allow me to acknowledge my grief and deep disappointment in his opinion. Now, I do not know Mr. Keller personally, but I have briefly met him and have read several of his opinions in the past. In meeting him and reading his views in the past, he made a good impression on me as a fine Christian and person, and that has not changed.

As he has acknowledged, Nov. 3, 2020 was the most important election in our lifetime, and it was a battle not only for the soul of our nation, but to redeem the soul of America. Indeed, God allowed us the opportunity to choose between Biden and Trump. Yes, both parties have faults, but the fact is all human beings have faults, because we all are perfectly imperfect and come short of the Glory of God.

Honestly, Mr. Keller, I have serious differences with both parties that are too numerous to mention. What I do know is that in the midst of all the uncertainties and challenges facing our nation, it is because of the Lord’s Mercy that we are not consumed. His compassion never fails. He gives us new mercies and new grace every morning, great in his faithfulness (Lamentation 3:22-23).

Our nation is in serious chaos, but nothing is too hard for God. Our nation is in a crisis, a jittery stock market, distrust in the political process, the ever-present threat of nuclear warfare, the racial division and unrest, voter suppression and intimidation. You and I cannot afford to take a vacation from reality.

Let’s look at racism for a moment. Racism is the spirit of division that magnifies itself in hate. God is love and in Him there is no darkness and whoever does not love, does not know God (I John 4:8).

Next, voter intimidation is designed primarily by one party to discourage people of color from voting. It is a voter suppression tactic. We have seen strict voter ID laws, excessive purging of voter rolls, closing of polling places, all to depress the votes of Afro-Americans. Voter suppression leads to oppression, and oppression is anything that inflicts suffering on the human spirit, Mr. Keller.

We are all God’s creation, made of one blood and created in His image. Equality is not a systematic movement of all people who are poor to all people who are rich, but an emphatic movement of all things that are wrong to all things that are right. When I think of how America’s political leaders let themselves be dominated by greed and power rather than helping the poor and healing this nation, then I wish for the tongue of an angel to convince them that the bedrock reality of this world is a God who is full of compassion and quick to forgive.

Proverbs 21:13 says, whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will one day cry themselves and not be heard.

I John 3:17 says, whoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion the love of God does not abide in him.

Yes, there are forces who are trying desperately to turn back the hands of the clock. I cannot overstate that their efforts to deny and suppress Afro-American votes is born out of racism. There are Christians of all colors and faiths who died and suffered that all Americans might have the precious right to vote.

Yes, black lives matter and so do all lives, but you never had a police officer point his gun in your face, but I have. I am the most loving, peaceful, meekest and kindest Christian in the world, and the only reason that I did not go public is because I chose to keep peace and pray for that officer. In fact, anyone who knows me knows that I extend God’s blessings to everyone everywhere, including officers with God’s grace and blessings. Sir, President-Elect Joe Biden is a Christian. You may not agree with him politically, but you have no right as a Christian to issue such harsh judgment. It is obvious that you disagree with his views, but your harsh judgment is not Christian, either.

I agree with Trump on almost nothing, especially the racism and hate speech, but I do not judge him, and I pray that you will not allow judgment to bottle up inside you. You are more Christian than that.

Matthew 5:13-16 days, you are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world, a city that sits on a hill that cannot be hidden. We are to let our lights sine so that men may see our own good works and glorify God.

Matthew 7:1-3 says, judge not that ye be not judged, for with the judgment you judge, you will be judged.

Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eyes, but do not look at the plank in your own eye?

Colossians 4:6 says, let your speech always be with grace, and season as salt. We must lay aside all bitterness and resentment and learn to guard our tongue. Proverbs 18:21 says, there is life and death in the power of the tongue.

Proverbs 16:24 says, pleasant words are like a honey comb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bone.

Proverbs 15:1-2 says, a gentle answer turns away wrath but hard words stir up strife, the tongue of the wise uses knowledge.

Proverbs 15:4 says, a whole tongue is a tree of life.

James 1:19-20 says, every man should be swift to hear and slow to speak and slow to wrath. In the wrath of thou does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 3:6-8 says, the tongue is like fire, it is restless and poison. Words can cut, destroy and cause great damage.

Finally, Sir, I have great respect for what little I know of you and truly believe that you are a wonderful Christian, but we all come short of the Glory of God. We both have a great deal in common, but we must be prayerful and promote love, peace and unity. Love is always the way and is redemptive. Love is greater than hate, and peace is better than violence. Together, let’s present Jesus Christ as the hope for the world.

Remember, God is in control and He sits above the circle of the earth. All men are nothing more than grasshoppers in His sight. All nations are but a drop in the bucket of His sight. We love God and we love America. America is an always ahs been the greatest nation in the world. Our nation is not hopeless, the prophet Hosea declares in Hosea 6:1 – O Come let us return to the Lord, He has torn us, but He will heal us, He has stricken us, but He will bind us up. I love you, my brother in the Lord.

 

Rev. Byron Clay

LaPlace