Matters of Faith: Change Your Behavior

Rev. J_Loren RussellChange Your Behavior

By Rev. J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv.​

Ezekiel 18:21-23
But if the wicked turn away from all the sins that they have committed, keep all my regulations, and act justly and responsibly, they will surely live and not die. 22 None of the sins that they committed will be held against them, but they will live because they do the right things. 23 Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Certainly not! If they change their ways, they will live.

 

I had an opportunity to give an inspirational talk to nineteen young, gang-affiliated men, encouraging them to change their behavior. Prompted by the ever increasing violence between rival gangs, cliques, crews and groups (or whatever they call themselves), local law enforcement convened the meeting to tell these young men that there would be severe consequences to everyone in any of the groups that is involved in another killing. It was my intention to say to them that we have not given up on them, that we need them alive, that we need them free (from incarceration) and that we need them as contributors to our communities.

 

Although this meeting was held locally, the same or similar situations exist throughout the nation. Young Black men are killing one anotherat an unpresented rate and the community is suffering. The message is that we are one community with one intent; to make our communities safe for those who live there.

 

Everyone has the the right to live in an environment where they don’t have to fear walking the streets and to be able to enjoy the comfort of their own homes. This is not asking too much, but it will take the entire community working together as never before; young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, documented and undocumented. My message for those young men was simple; “Your acts of violence inflict immeasurable harm on our communities and it has got to stop! In case you haven’t noticed, your absence from our communities because you’re dead, in prison, permanently disabled, or running because have taken someone else’s life, has stripped our communities of our most valuable assets; brains, talents, skills, strength and potential. You have got to change your behavior.”

 

In the passage of scripture that I’ve selected from the book of Ezekiel, we see how the Lord promises to forgive the wrongs that have been committed if there is a change of behavior. He says, “21 if the wicked turn away from all the sins that they have committed, keep all my regulations, and act justly and responsibly, they will surely live and not die.22 None of the sins that they committed will be held against them, but they will live because they do the right things.” The Lord’s graciousness is able to see beyond our faults to our needs, and greatest of those needs is be forgiven and to live. God knows that we have the ability to do right and our propinsity to do wrong. Yet, He is willing to forgive use and let us live if we change our behavior.

 

So, let me speak on behalf of the community and to our young men and women running with groups; we hate the violence but we love you! Your lives matter to us! The community needs you alive, free, healthy and in the community! We need our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers, our husbands and wives, our cousins and friends. We stand as one unified community against violence. We need you standing with us, shoulder to shoulder, helping to rebuild our community. You are vitally important if we have any chance of making our communities into what we know they can be. We need you to change your behavior and live.

 

Be Blessed!

Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting, and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio (internet), Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM. Listen here or by phone at 626-226-1448. Be sure to friend “Matters of Faith” on Facebook.

 

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