Are You Woke? Wake Up!

February 4,2017
By R. E. Jenkins

Are you Woke? Or, Asleep?

Pardon my use of poor grammar; I wanted to start in contrast to the typical by using a colloquialism to catch your attention.

“America benefits from foreign lives artistically, economically, intellectually, religiously and technologically”, states Willie Dwayne Francois, Feb 1 2017, in an article titled, “The Muslim Ban May Be Unconstitutional But It’s Not Un-American”. Tolerance of others verses intolerance for others just because they are different, yet another contrast.

America has evolved into its current state as a result of self-centered politics fueled by greed to get more for self. Be it money, power or influence. These are the dominating, motivating factors that make it easy to disregard contrasting rightness’s that even includes the disregard or at least stretches the boundaries of The Constitution of The United States.

Today as we watch the new persons of our Government shape itself into whatever it is they want to be, some are in disbelief; some in fear; some in jubilee; all of us have an opinion and perception of the Trump Regime’s being. I can go on and write my own narrow minded view on it but I won’t because my lens is clouded with my own stuff. Each of us has an idea as to where the administration desires to steer this country, however we are all in for a pleasant surprise, just wait and see.

Should the people not arise in love for the other? If not, our lost will be the stifled gifts of someone’s artistic, economic, intellectual, religious or technological advancement that could benefit us all.

What will be the catalyst that draws the Global Majority towards each other and formulates a single commonwealth that drives society to simply, “do the right thing”? The Global Majority is defined as those with melatonin as well as those without who respect and can find value in the person regardless of differences. I think the catalyst has to be Love.

For ages the catalyst has been self-centered or a single minded purpose to benefit a finite segment of mankind. Single minded concepts or movements such as Civil Rights, or Gay Rights, or this cause or your cause. To be clear, I'm not against either cause but Love for one another will breed harmony and a broader sense of inclusion that promotes a drive for everyone’s well- being.

There are numerous reasons that have evolved into causes that ignite a person’s and collective group’s passion to act. There are many instances of injustice, inequality contrasted by just as many instances of rightness.

But.

What is the right thing?

First and foremost, the right thing is, love. Jesus teaches that love is the foundation of any right thing. Your Savior, by what so ever name, in case you are of a different religious bent; probably teaches the same. In contrast to this point there’s our individual “flesh”. Is flesh really the contrast to love or is the contrast to love, hate? Flesh, that being our very being.

Our flesh, your personal being, naturally, instinctively, turns inward, towards ones self, with a large, unquenchable thirst for self-satisfaction. Global, Societal dis-chord is amplified by each other's level of power and influence over another. Some of us have power over a few and some have power over many. The way and ways we use our influence and power will either be for our own gain or the other persons gain.

Gal 5: 16 - 26
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Are you awake? Wake up!

1 Thes 5: 6 -11
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Can you find the contrasts illustrated in the above scriptures? Are You Woke? Most of us are on auto pilot blindly striving to please the flesh, self. Look within you. What do you find? Before you act next, think and consider this. Do you see the purpose of what you are about to do is to benefit another or will you see that your purpose is to benefit you?

America, as well as any and everything else, united it stands, divided we fall. Your household, united it stands, divided it falls. Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, united it stands, divided it falls. Your marriage, united it stands, divided it ends. What binds unity? My opinion, love.

Contrasts provide us with behavioral options that either help, promote or hinder and destroy.
Love, as an act for what’s good for me or another or love for what another could perceive as bad. Love comes in many shades. After all, white supremacists “love” whiteness and purity yet most perceive their love for such as not good. In every act one should consider the other rather than self. Cultures are based upon common perceptions that are learned simply because one is born into it. You might have been born into a culture of distain for dissimilar skin color or culture. Another is born into a culture of prominence, power and influence. Therefore how can one look beyond their sphere? That, is a challenge. Looking beyond my rightness, how do you do that?

Contrast, love – hate; right – wrong; up – down; in – out; black – white; truth – alternative truth. Will mankind forever dwell in the quagmire that is in between the differences? America, currently, outwardly is wrestling with the contrast between ________ and __________, (you fill-in the blanks). If I do, you’ll want to argue with me and miss my point.

God created contrast and mankind being created by the same God has been blessed with the instinct to choose between the contrasts. Your natural instinct is what? Typically it seems our choices are self-centered. Why?

Unity – Self. I can’t help but to think that the contrast between unity and self is the bases of mankind’s dis-chord. Discord is the typical word, however because my being evolves from music and because harmony motivates me, I use the musical term, chord.

Unity is a simple principle yet it takes sacrifice of self to achieve. Unity, it’s not impossible if the foundation or motive of anyone’s intent is love or the well-being of the other. It’s then that sacrifice becomes self-satisfying, natural and easy. Unity would spread like wild-fire across the globe if your (our) purpose would miraculously shift from self to the other starting with the person whom which we have power and influence over. That act of love then generates another act of love or selflessness that then eventually blossoms into an infectious behavior of the persons experiencing the same and exchanging the same that came from you. Continuous acts towards the person and persons that that person has influence or power over. Seems to me, herein lies alignment with God’s will. “Not my will, but God’s will be done”. Regardless of the opinion, argument or counter point that you formulated as you read the last two sentences, I believe that I’m right. For my Bible tells me so.

Are you woke? Wake up! If you stay asleep in your selfness, you are not going to be part of the change, revolution. You’ll see it in the end but you wouldn’t have been a part of it. I believe that before Jesus returns we’re going to see God’s hand at work through us, the Global Majority. The Global Majority will take the lead and re-direct this country, uniting and united through love, not as the result of a singular cause. Love will stimulate the forth coming change that is brewing in this country. Unity has started. Let unity spread with your single act of love to the one you have power and influence over. Your act of love will be the action that causes a reaction of love that will evolve and grow into a cataclysmic expanse of world changing love. A force so powerful and strong yet in the end we will realize it was so simple to accomplish. What do you need, we’ll ask each other and find such for the other. God through us will prevail in this country reshaping what we now see into what He desires. But, if you are asleep, not actively giving, loving, reaching out and extending yourself to help another and others you will miss being part of the revolution.

Are you going to act for yourself or for the other’s wellbeing? Are you going to forgive the first person that takes your act of love as weakness? Are you going to unite and stand for anyone of the many causes for the betterment of mankind?

What are you going to do about it?
Signed
an Angry Blackman