What Does George Floyd, Jesus and the John the Baptist Riot Have in Common?

It seems we all agree, Mr. Floyd was murdered.

How to handle the injustice is where our agreement falls off the rails.

What’s the right response?

What would God say?

What would Jesus, the Prince of Peace, do?

In the very beginning, God confronted Cain, BEFORE he murdered his brother. Cain, why are you so upset? Do good. If not, sin lies at the door and desires to have you…you must overcome it. (Genesis 4:6-7 paraphrased by me)

God was proactive. He offered Cain an attitude adjustment at the first sign of trouble. Before He succumbed to murder.

The murderer, Derek Chauvin, was in trouble before. Perhaps if more proactive action had been taken, this tragedy could’ve been avoided. But, then, perhaps not. People choose evil. Cain did. 

What did Jesus do when He encountered an issue like this?

John the Baptist was murdered. Beheaded, at the drunken whim of Herod. It was wrong. Unjust.

What did Jesus do? The news had to hurt. Afterall, John was His cousin.

I’ll tell you what He did.

He rallied His thousands of followers and protested at Herod’s palace, right?

No?  

Okay…He prayed lightning down from heaven to strike the city and burn it to the ground—like Sodom & Gomorrah. Surely, He at least did that.

No? Not that? Then, what?

Matthew tells us:  

“When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.” (Matt. 14:13).

That can’t be right.  

Jesus fears no man. He not only knows the Truth…He is Truth. Why would He, seemingly, tuck tail and run? That doesn’t sound like Him. It sounds…wimpy.

Why would He do, that?

He loved Him. Jesus loved John. Thus, He honored His cousin’s memory.

Like the death of John the Baptist; today, we have a similar event. Mr. George Floyd was murdered, unjustly, by thugs in authority.

Like Jesus, those who love Mr. Floyd, want to honor his memory.

I can tell you that the rioters don’t even know the person they’re rioting over. If they did, they wouldn’t dishonor him like this.

Rioting THUGS are complicit with the exact same evil THUG cops that murdered Mr. Floyd.  

Most are opportunists. Showing up from out of town for the thrill and all the “free stuff” (only their spray painted graffiti on the side of a burning building used a different word for "stuff").  

Their counterproductive actions prove they have no idea why they’re rioting.  

Using violence to riot against violence is like trying to extinguish a fire, with gas.

But even worse than the opportunist rioter, are the Professional Rioters. They know what they’re doing. The opportunists just react to an event. Professional Rioters, scheme and plan and promote such evils. Their plan has nothing to do with mourning the murder or honoring the memory of Mr. George Floyd.

Professional rioters (ANTIFA), fueled by the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, fly in to manipulate masses into a frenzy; to produce and promote their media driven movement. This time it’s called the “We Can’t Breathe Movement.”

They speak with eloquence and charm. But in reality, their tongues are whips across the backs of those used to prop and propel their pulpit and class-warfare agenda.  To them, Mr. Floyd isn’t a person, but an opportunity to promote an agenda.

Perhaps I shouldn’t talk about Al and Jesse like that, after all, aren’t they “Reverends”?

Which reminds me. What does Jesus say about riots? About how to handle injustice?

As mentioned above, John the Baptist was murdered and, “When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.” (Matt. 14:13).

But, that’s not all He did.

The next few verses tell us; He had compassion on a multitude of people and healed them.  He took five loaves and two fish and fed five thousand men, plus women and children.  He climbed to the top of a mountain and prayed for hours.  He walked on a sea of boisterous waves in the middle of the night and even invited Peter to walk on the water with Him. He calmed the sea and crossed to the other side where a multitude met Him and He healed them, everyone.

Jesus didn’t go to the gates of Herod to raise hell; He went to the gates of death to raze hell.  

NOTE: Raze means: destroy, demolish, annihilate, level.

When faced with injustice, Jesus prayed. He took time to honor the memory of His loved one. Then, He took laser focused action straight to the heart of the matter. He crushed the head of the real enemy. evil. sin. the devil. To do that, He took His followers and "went about doing Good." So, technically, you might say, Jesus and crew rioted against evil after the beheading of His cousin. The John the Baptist Riot. 

And as you know, more than any other, Jesus, changed the world. Forever.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)