Surely you know about Tarana Burke and her "Me Too" movement from 2006? Or how about the fantastic trio - Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi - who kicked off the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013? What if these women remained silent. imagine that.
Here's a fun fact: societal change doesn’t come from silence, folks. It's like trying to get Wi-Fi in a cave. Probably not going to happen!
I remember being invited to a silent protest once. It was silent alright, but change? Not so much. History has shown us that rights are won with voices raised, not muted. Look at BLM, #MeToo, the fight against Apartheid, and the Civil Rights movement. All loud. All clear. No mute button in sight.
Wanna know what truly thrives in silence? Suffering. On my sermon on Sunday, September 3, 2023 we talked about having experiences with God that calls us to speak up. In Exodus 3 Moses has an extraordinary experience with God and has a few reservations about doing what God asked of him. We too might not be willing to listen to God at first. Well friend, the good news is, God will always have your back!
In his book, “Interrupting Silence, God’s Command to Speak Out,” Walter Brueggemann nails it. He's like, "Hey, if we're silent, the big shots keep all the power. So let's mix things up!" (Well, maybe not his exact words, but you get the gist.)
Your turn: do you remember the last time you felt God had your back? Maybe it was that last-minute parking spot or that forgotten $20 bill in your jeans. If this has happened to you it’s not too late to say “amen!”
Now, to that story about Moses and the burning bush. Dude’s out in the desert, chilling with his sheep, and BAM! Flaming shrubbery. But no s'mores. Just a message from God. Moses was like, "Whoa, why's this bush on fire but not getting roasted?" Next thing he knows, God's saying, "Hey, Moses. We got work to do." Poor guy probably wished he’d taken the day off!
Have you ever experienced this? Like you're just minding your business and suddenly you're being called to do something big? Most of us are like, "Who, me? Nah, you got the wrong person!" But here's the fun part - God’s always has our back. And apparently, our front too! Day after day… morning by morning new mercies I see. Get it?
So, if you've ever felt that nudge to speak up, now's the time. Maybe it's standing up against modern-day inequality, or maybe it's just speaking kindness into someone’s day. Either way, we’re all being called.
Speaking up isn’t about having the loudest voice; it's about making your voice heard.
Thanks for reading! And remember to be the voice, not the echo.
Let me know your thoughts:
1. What do you think keeps people from speaking up?
2. How does God create opportunities for us to use our voices?
Share this with someone!