THE KNEE PARTY
So this NFL season has been more about players' knees touching down in protest during the National Anthem than about actual touchdowns during the games. Players are protesting the way law enforcement has allegedly violated people's rights and have abused their power. There have been several incidents over the past few years where the conduct of police has come into question. Players believe the platform they have gives them an opportunity to raise awareness to these alleged civil rights violations.
The 1st Amendment of our constitution gives these players the right to peaceful protest. However, they are engaging in these protests while they are on the job representing their organization. I know if I were to engage in some sort of protest while I was representing my employer, I would be disciplined and maybe even fired. So these players are doing this at their own risk. The other issue here is that I don't think anyone is unaware of some of the incidents that have taken place over the past few years. News agencies have thoroughly reported on these alleged violations of civil rights that were perpetrated by law enforcement. Those who have been found guilty in a court of law have been sent to jail. Those who were not convicted, were set free because a jury of peers determined that police acted within the parameters allowed for them to be able to safely perform their duties. Have there been injustices? Yes, I am sure that some people have gotten away with violating people's civil rights. I would agree that there should be zero corruption in our law enforcement system, however I am aware of the fallen nature of mankind. No matter what system of checks and balances we put in place, we will see some people manipulate those systems in a corrupt manner. The awareness we need to be promoting is the sinfulness of all mankind, and the need for God to by His grace change people's wicked hearts.
The protest during the national anthem is strange because anthem is a song that celebrates the lives of those who have died to protect our freedom. That being said, the protest fails to communicate its message of civil injustice, because the protestors' actions are seen as insulting to the many citizens who have loved ones that have died to protect our freedoms.
If these players really wanted to make a difference in communities, they would take time to engage in civil conversations with officers and at the same time talk to the public about showing respect for people in law enforcement who risk their lives everyday to protect us. Instead it seems the majority of these protests are bent on vilifying law enforcement in general.
These protests do in fact show how we are all made in the image of God. We all have a desire for justice to be met. We all understand that there must be a moral standard that all people are required to live by. Justice and morality are not the product of evolution. For if they were, we would really have no reason to subscribe to some temporary arbitrary standard when survival of the fittest would really be the only binding law. The reality is that because of the fall, man has taken on a sin nature that has clouded our view of justice and morality. We daily try to redefine what justice and morality looks like. However if such standards are the rule by which we must live, then such standards must be unchanging and grounded in something greater than us. Fortunately we have a just God who gave us a sense of morality. We must return to his Word so we can clear away the smoke of sin that has clouded our judgment. We must realize that if we really want justice, then we are crying out for our own eternal condemnation, because we have all sinned against the eternal God who made us. What we should be standing for is mercy, because God has shown us such great mercy in that He sent His Son to die for our sins and fulfill perfect justice and perfect love.
So let us all take a knee in prayer before our Creator, our Lord, our Savior.
