What is the greatest gift we can give another person? To some extent that seems to depend upon what the receiver of our gift values. Since we all do not value the same things the same way, not all of us appreciate the most valuable gifts as much as we should.
Luke 7:36-50 explains one reason why we may not value the most costly gifts as much as we should. We may not understand how much we need forgiveness. When He forgives a sinner, Jesus explains.
For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”
The Apostle Paul, because he had persecuted Christians, saw himself as the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Therefore, he very much appreciated the forgiveness of Christ Jesus. Like Paul, until we appreciate our sinfulness, our need for forgiveness, we cannot appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice, His choice to die upon a cross for our sins. We will not understand how much He loves us.
Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.
Until we understand that we are sinners and need God’s forgiveness, we also won’t appreciate the fact we do not deserve the gift of God’s love. We will not learn, as that prostitute did, how much we should love God.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous person; though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
Even though we are sinners, God still loves us. Does that mean it is okay for us to sin? No. God commands us to love Him (Deuteronomy 6:5). If we love God, He expects us to obey Him (John 14:15). Therefore, we must strive to love each other as He loved us.
“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.
God loves us in spite of our sinfulness. Because He loves us, God wants us to stop stop sinning. Similarly, we should love each other. Even though we are sinners, we should love each other. Because we love each other, we should help each other to stop sinning.
The county released the draft policy for public comment on July 1. The comment period will be open until Friday, July 23. Once county officials receive public input, the supervisors will hold a public hearing and final vote on the policy.
Note the date, July 23, 2021. We now only have a couple of days to squelch the adoption of this Equity and Inclusion Policy. Should we? YES!
Consider. What is the point of this policy? Do we want the Board of County Supervisors to elevate equity of outcome over equality before the law?
Do we want a just society, one that treats everyone equally before the law without regard to their race, sex, and creed?
Or do we want an unjust society where in the name of equity, our government elevates some of us over others on the basis of our race, sex, and creed?
Note the specific use term “intersectionality.”
Prince William County is an equitable and inclusive community. As such, Prince William County Government assesses its policies, programs, and practices through performance measures and an equity lens of intersectionality.
“Intersectionality” is a term related to Critical Race Theory (CRT).
Definition of intersectionality
: the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups
\\[Kimberlé] Crenshaw introduced the theory of intersectionality, the idea that when it comes to thinking about how inequalities persist, categories like gender, race, and class are best understood as overlapping and mutually constitutive rather than isolated and distinct.— Adia Harvey Wingfield
Is racism a good thing? No. Is antiracism a good thing? Not necessarily. Why not? Well, let’s consider the root problem with Critical Race Theory (CRT). Think about this statement.
CRT recognizes that race is a social construct and race does not reflect biological differences among people (e.g., differences in intelligence, physical ability)
Supposedly, the advocates for CRT recognize that race does not matter, but consider what psychologists use for a definition of gender.
Gender
All humans are born with biological characteristics of sex, either male, female, or intersex. Gender, however, is a social construct and generally based on the norms, behaviors, and societal roles expected of individuals based primarily on their sex. Gender identity describes a person’s self-perceived gender, which could be male, female, or otherwise. In recent years, expanding the public understanding of gender has freed many to feel more comfortable in their own skin and live as the people they believe themselves to be. People whose gender identity corresponds to their biological sex may be referred to as cisgender. Transgender people have a gender identity that does not conform to the sex they were assigned at birth. And people whose gender identity feels neither masculine nor feminine may identify as non-binary, while those who feel no gender identity may refer to themselves as “agender.”
Race may be a social construct, but race just as much a part of “identity” as gender.
Identity includes the many relationships people cultivate, such as their identity as a child, friend, partner, and parent. It involves external characteristics over which a person has little or no control, such as height, race, or socioeconomic class. Identity also encompasses political opinions, moral attitudes, and religious beliefs, all of which guide the choices one makes on a daily basis.
That means the people promoting CRT actually do think race matters. This is why they insist upon social justice instead of impartial justice.
Why is that your fault and not their fault? Well, they have special knowledge. They know the truth.
CRT is a theoretical framework for examining American society with a belief that racism is embedded in U.S. laws and institutions and not just the result of individual prejudices or biases. Complementing the NASP Social Justice Strategic Goal, CRT seeks to understand inequities that exist based on race.
In other words, CRT is the belief that the United States is systemically racist.
The people promoting this view are not calm, collected, rational souls. Consider.
We recognize, are outraged by, and mourn the deaths of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tante Parker, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and countless other victims of police brutality and racist violence.
Victims of police brutality and racist violence? When we promote “social justice” instead of impartial justice, we punish the police just because we prejudge them as systemically racist. Look up George Floyd’s background, for example. He was a convict, and he was convicted of a violent crime. When he was arrested, he was passing counterfeit money, and he had given himself a fatal dose of fentanyl. Floyd resisted arrest. So, the police had to use force to arrest him.
Did the policeman who was accused of killing Floyd violate procedures by keeping his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck? Perhaps, but nobody has ever proved Floyd’s death had anything to do with racism.
Our policemen have a difficult job. Filling the heads of our children with social justice/CRT nonsense does not help either the police or our children. Who wants to send their children to school to teach them that the policeman who lives nextdoor is a racist?
Should we avoid being racists? Yes, of course. However, we don’t avoid racism by focusing on race. Instead, we do what Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted for his children.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
There is an infinite number of ways to do the wrong thing. Instead of teaching children to think about racism, how to judge others wrongly, we need to teach our children what they are supposed to do, applaud and approve of those who do what is right. Unfortunately, our school board is focused on condemning racism. Instead of helping children to learn how to do what is right, our school board wants to create a bunch of activists/antiracists. See PWCS acts to combat racism – Prince William County Public Schools. Read https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/pwcs/Board.nsf/files/BQER6Z6B7CB5/$file/Resolution re Equity and Nondiscrimination.pdf. Then think! Is an obsession with antiracism actually better than an obsession with racism? Even if we call ourselves “antiracists”, if we judge others by the color of their skin, we are still racists.
