What's The Solution?
Imagine…
The excitement of starting a new year and a new decade with peace on the horizon after 20 years of war. This, combined with low unemployment and a high stock market makes America optimistic and it seems like life is finally on the right track.
Then, unexpectedly, tragedy strikes when basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter die in a helicopter crash. Having recently retired, it seemed like he was finally able to step away from his career and enjoy his family, but instead he leaves behind a widow and his surviving children have to grow up without their father. This devastates people all over the world who, like me thought he had more time left to live.
Imagine…
That a new virus which was killing people in China begins to rapidly spread. This coronavirus is very contagious and soon becomes a global pandemic without a vaccine or cure. It preys upon the elderly, the poor, the sick, the immuno-compromised, and even some healthy people. The pandemic shuts down much of the workforce and millions are without jobs. People are forced to stay home and cannot cope. There are no sports, recreation, entertainment, barbershops, schools, churches, or hope. Instead, there are mental problems, domestic violence, and no end in sight. Our only natural defense is to stay away from one another.
Imagine…
That some police officers kill a handcuffed black man lying on the ground. One officer has his knee on the man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, choking his life away until he calls his deceased mother with his final breath while three other officers watch without intervening. This and other incidents around the country lead to civil unrest. People are angry and peacefully protesting, but then looters and rioters come and make things worse.
Imagine…
The volatility, frustration, chaos, emotion, uncertainty, and fear present when men can return to the barbershop. The barbershop is a safe place, and as long as it’s respectful you can talk about anything. So it should be easy to imagine the conversation when I walk into the barbershop. After a few months without a barber, everybody needs a haircut, so it’s packed. And after a few months of drama, there’s plenty to discuss. So when I walk in, the conversation is already flowing. I find a seat until my turn and my barber turns to me and says, “Pastor.” The room falls silent and everybody stares at me while my barber asks, “What is the solution for all of this going on in our country?”
People are looking for answers. They have lost meaning and purpose in their lives. Their actions are just symptoms of what's happening inside. People are angry and demonstrating that outwardly. But deep within, they want answers. And the barbershop wanted answers too. They looked at me as if to repeat the barber’s question, “What is the solution to everything that's going on?” So I asked them, “Do y'all want to know the answer?” Of course they did, so I told them: “The answer is simple, but the answer is not easy.” Let me say that again: The answer is simple, but the answer is not easy. I then told them the solution and I’ll share it with you too... IN NEXT WEEK'S BLOG!