Trayvon Martin’s Death: What Jumped Out of America?

Like many Americans, I have been following the Trayvon Martin tragic story. I listened to the 911 tapes, watched YouTube videos with people expressing their passionate opinions about the matter, watched the TV News and various reporters, interviews and I have spent the time reading different articles on this distressing story. This is one of those stories where it is very difficult to stay neutral. You are going to be passionate towards one side or towards the other, or allow fear to keep you quiet.

This tragic story hit me like it has many Americans around this nation. First, because I to have a seventeen year old child that I love dearly and two, because in the last twenty years I have been stopped and questioned by authorities four times just because of the way I look; two in Jacksonville, Florida, one in Houston, Texas and one in San Juan Puerto Rico. I was not doing anything wrong, but I suppose that I was profiled. My heart truly goes out to the parents and family of Trayvon. I can’t even begin to understand the pain that they are feeling right now.

By now, you probably know the story that we all have heard so far. UMFE Fresh Perspective writes:

“Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin of Miami, was walking from a convenience store to the home of a family friend in a gated community in Sanford on Feb. 26th. He was confronted by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Zimmerman called police to report a suspicious person but before police arrived, the two struggled and Zimmerman shot and killed the teenager. Community members are demanding Zimmerman’s arrest but Sanford Police say they don’t have sufficient evidence to dispute his claims of self defense.” http://www.wmfe.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=12555&news_iv_ctrl=1041

I have my own opinion on what happened that night, but I am waiting for the investigation to be completed and for the truth to be revealed. The emphasis of this article is different; I want to relate a different message.

I learned from a good friend of mine that when we face very uncomfortable situations in life we are able to see what jumps out of us. In other words, those hidden things in us are quickly manifested in our behaviors and in what we say. Nothing “just come out;” if it came out it’s because it was there, it only needed the right circumstances or for somebody to push the right button. So, what has jumped out of this nation in response to the tragic ending of Trayvon Martin’s life?

Clearly we can see that, racially speaking, we are still a nation divided. The wounds of slavery are not completely healed yet. We can still hear the echoes of the cries of our fathers and mothers crying out for freedom. We can still hear the cries of fear. Even after their “freedom” was signed into the law of the land, they were still victims of terror. We hear the horror stories of burning crosses in their front yards and black men hanged on trees like dogs. How could this wonderful nation that was founded over Christian values, close their eyes to the cries of slavery and racial brutality? The pain is still there like a volcano waiting to erupt.

What jumped out of America? Intimidation jumped out of America. Many people are scared of addressing this issue objectively for fear of being judged as a racist. Al Sharpton jumped out of America! Who is surprised about that? Where is this so-called Reverend when a white young man is killed? Jessie Jackson did to! Spike Lee showed his murderous heart along with Roseanne Barr. The Black Panthers Party, who placed a million dollars on Zimmerman’s head, jumped out of America. A press that disrupts the facts and places more dry wood on a sensitive social fire, jumped out of America. The press was eager to make this tragedy a racial one. They gave us photos of a much younger Trayvon, they told us that is was a white man that shot Trayvon initially, and they removed a key part of the 911 recording and continue to insist in instigating our nation’s rise to violence. The irresponsibility of our media jumped out of America. Furthermore, what is even more revealing is that we are still a nation in great need of healing. We are one incident away; one injustice away, one bad-thing-said-by-a person-with-the-wrong-color away from a riot or even a civil war. I am sure that the agitators are standing at the door waiting!

I have news for you America, God is a God of justice; He is above any police department, any political agenda, any intimidation, the press and even above any president and/or king. Will you trust HIM America? I have no doubt that when all is set and done we will know the truth and justice will prevail. Beloved, nobody gets away with anything; for the Bible tells us in Galatians 6:7-8

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

The God of justice will have the last Word, but we must continue to deal with what is constantly jumping out of our hearts. We must be healed from the pain and humiliation of slavery, forgive and be willing to start all over as if nothing happened. The blood of Jesus is available for us and His sacrifice on the cross is our perfect example. He is sinless, He is perfect, all loving and all caring, but he still gave His life for us, even after we yelled: crucify HIM! Even in the face of the greatest injustice mankind has ever seen; an injustice greater than the killing of millions of Jews, an injustice greater than the slavery of one race and all the injustices of humanity put together,  injustice that shames the history of humanity; even with all that, from the cross of Calvary, Jesus cried out:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)