Tiny Devotional for Monday, Juneteenth, 06-19-2023

A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, HAPPY JUNETEENTH!

A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will perish.
Proverbs 19:9, NASB

“I hope my Tiny Devotional will allow me to say something about Juneteenth.” That was one of my first coherent thoughts this morning. 

So, how am I to apply a message about inevitable bad consequences for liars, to a celebration of freedom for black Americans? And, if I even TRY to do that, how do I avoid sounding political (which is something I despise)? 

Furthermore, do I have STANDING to make any statement at all? For the past 12 years, I have been the only white permanent resident in a black household. Even a Redneck Biker is changed by that kind of exposure; I hope that gives me some insight and authority to speak. If you conclude otherwise, feel free to ignore.

So, can I link a false witness or lie to Juneteenth? 

Well, I CAN, but in doing so, I am VERY likely to introduce additional false witness. 

My first impulse is to point to the ‘unalienable rights’ listed in the Declaration of Independence, and say, ‘The Founders LIED!’ because 47 of the 56 signers owned slaves. That’s true; but at that time, there were NO countries in the world where slavery was outlawed. I cannot pass judgment on those men for not meeting a standard that they were creating, and attempting to implement. 

Other incongruities exist between our ideal of freedom and the reality of our history, with similar objections.

So, I abandon the attempt to link Juneteenth to today’s verse, and say:

Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.

Peace be on your household.

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