It was today in 1863 that Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address to a deeply divided nation. This speech included those now famous words which reminded America that the founding fathers were committed to establishing a nation that was "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
I recently saw a documentary on the Clinton 12. It's the story of 12 young African-Americans caught in the crossfire of desegregation in a small town, Clinton, Tennessee. Hearing their first-hand accounts reminded me again how important it is to seek to understand so that we don't give way to fear. These 12 were not seeking to make history. They were simply seeking a quality education. Their parents were tax-paying citizens who wanted their children to believe it was true: that all men are created equal.
The 12 were descendants of slaves, brought to America against their will. Those immigrants had no choice. But oh, I'm glad God allowed it to happen! Through their tragedy and suffering, what a contribution African-Americans have made to this nation. It's hard to imagine the loss, the gaps, the beauty that would be absent from this tapestry we call America--in the arts, sports, education and more significantly to me, the Christian church. I shudder to think what American Christianity would look like had it not been for the influx of our African brothers and sisters.
And now we are faced with growing tension regarding our southern border. Thousands of Hispanics are coming to America. As the church, we should be very careful about our stance. We can only imagine how God may use them in our churches and in America to bring renewal and wide-impact evangelism. Our God is on the move and He is calling out a people for Himself from every tribe and every nation.
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