On the Right Side of History

On the Right Side of History

A meditation delivered electronically by Rev Dr. Randy K. Hammer, August 9, 2020

Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Peter 3:134-17 GNT

I saw a picture in the newspaper a couple weeks ago of young civil rights activist, John Lewis, being physically carried away from a Nashville restaurant, where he and his colleagues had been participating in a peaceful, non-violent sit-in.  As disturbing as the image of Lewis being carried away by those two police officers was, perhaps even more disturbing was the image of white bystanders who were witnesses to the scene.  They were looking on with smug smiles on their faces.  By looking at their eyes and the smiles on their faces, you could easily read their minds and determine what they were thinking and feeling.  And I thought to myself, What a terrible way to be ever-after remembered by history – smiling smugly and taking pleasure in seeing another human being abused and humiliated simply because he wanted to be able to sit at a lunch counter and enjoy a meal like white people could.

On Friday, July 17, America lost another giant of a man in the passing of John Robert Lewis.  Born to poor sharecroppers, Lewis became a community activist and then a member of the Atlanta City Council before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives – 17 times!  He would become the youngest of the so-called “Big Six” civil rights leaders.  Lewis suffered a fractured skull at the hands of Alabama state troopers in March 1965 as peaceful protesters sought to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the day that came to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”  Lewis was to look back on that day by saying, “some of us gave a little blood on that bridge to redeem the soul of America.”  (As a side note, there is a push to rename that bridge, currently bearing the name of a racist KKK grand wizard, for John Robert Lewis.  It is only right that it should be so renamed.  And I sincerely hope and pray that it is renamed.)

Known for his strong sense of morality, Lewis came to be called the “Conscience of the United States Congress.”  And as I reflected on the life of John Lewis, two scripture passages came to mind that seem to echo the life he lived and the spiritual principles he stood for.

As Peter reminds us, “even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! . . . have reverence for Christ in your hearts . . .  Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, ¹⁶ but do it with gentleness and respect.”  John suffered for doing right and he was proud to be able to do so.  He had an answer for those who questioned his motives and his actions.  And everything he did was with gentleness and respect.

And drawing on the teaching of Jesus about being the light of world, Lewis himself epitomized it in his life and said, “You are a light.  You are the light.  Never let anyone – any person or any force - dampen, dim or diminish your light.”  John lived the words of Jesus and the words of Rumi who likewise encouraged, “Don’t hide the candle of your clarity.  Stand up and burn through the night.”  John lived his life as a light of morality and clarity, a light of positive example and change, a burning light of conscience for the soul of America.

But one of Lewis’s most powerful legacies was in his warning, “we have a mission and a mandate to be on the right side of history.”

And such, it seems to me, is the mission and mandate that falls to you and me now – to make sure – absolutely sure – in matters of respect for all people, national morality, matters of justice, racial equality, and doing the right and standing up for the right – that we are on the right side of history.  When we cast our ballot at this primary and later in the general election, do we not need to seriously consider how to vote so that we are on the right side of history when it comes to issues that have to do with matters of equality and justice for all?  It’s interesting to note that this past week marked the 55^th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act which John Lewis was instrumental in being signed into law.  We honor Lewis’s memory by voting according to the principles he gave his life to.

God spare us the attitude, the smirky smile and smugness, and the stand-by-and-do-nothing example of the bystanders who watched John Lewis being physically manhandled by police for no other reason than being black and wanting to eat.  Those smiling bystanders missed their chance.  But may we, whenever we have the chance to do so, make sure that we are standing on the right side of history.  May it be so.  Amen.