Eric Reece
One of King David’s well known Psalms is chapter 51. It begins, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness.”
It was Miles Coverdale’s translation of the Hebrew word chesed – or hesed as lovingkindness that the King James version used. It is difficult to translate the concept of hesed into English.
The word represents the love and mercy of God toward Israel and humanity. It follows that God will not forsake God’s people because of God’s covenant, steadfast love and loyalty.
I used to often share that hesed was about grace. It is grace, God’s undeserved favor of love and forgiveness, but much more complex. It is unconditional love and giving oneself fully with compassion to make the world a better place. Christians strive to have the attitude of God’s lovingkindness toward others as we have received the same from God.
I had the privilege of attending a retreat led by Dr. Michael Battle, who was South African Bishop Desmond Tutu’s biographer. It is an unbelievable story of how the evil of apartheid was dismantled and instead of revenge and bloodshed, the people worked for restorative justice and reconciliation.
Apartheid was a political system of racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 to the 1990s. The system separated people by race and dictated every aspect of life according to the color of a person’s skin. To keep the system in place, people were massacred, murdered, imprisoned and oppressed.
It was a long journey, but apartheid was ended. Nelson Mandela – who had been a political prisoner for 27 years – was set free and was elected president of the country.
In 1996, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established by Mandela and chaired by Tutu, a priest and Christian theologian. Victims were able to come and testify of the abuse they suffered. Perpetrators were able to come forward and confess and request amnesty.
Allowing people to tell their stories brought healing and forgiveness. While not without its critics, seeking truth and reconciliation was a way to avoid revenge and future bloodshed.
Because they sought to espouse God’s lovingkindness and follow the teachings of Christ, they were able to move on from a terrible time to ensure a better future.
We are a country divided by many things. We are filled with anger and sometimes we do not understand why. Differences that used to be insignificant are now matters of life and death. The sides are drawn as we prepare for battle.
Is there not a better way?
Yes – with God’s lovingkindness, we can learn to live and work together in spite of our differences. It begins with one person. Pray for God to fill you with God’s lovingkindness. As it becomes part
of your daily routine and you become more comfortable, add praying for your family and friends to be filled with lovingkindness. Over time, add praying for those who have hurt you to be filled with lovingkindness.
We struggle and face numerous problems in our country. Being at each other’s throats will get us nowhere. Seeking to live with God’s lovingkindness and sharing it with others will transform our hearts and communities from battlegrounds to sacred grounds.
Eric Reece is the faith columnist for The Graham Star. He is pastor of Robbinsville United Methodist Church and can be reached by email,
ereece@wnccumc.net.