This week I finally saw the movie “Just Mercy” with Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. For those that don’t know it’s based on the true story of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) who was sentenced to Death Row for a murder he did not commit. Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) is the lawyer who takes on his case and tries to win McMillian’s freedom.
This story takes place in the late 80s to early 90s. This film shows the great injustices black people suffered solely because of their skin . Just because of the color of your skin you were predetermined to be less than others. You were made to be inferior and basically punished for it. The bar of excellence was always kept out of reach. No matter how much work you did well you could not succeed. You had to be twice as good as everyone else to be considered half as good as everyone else.
Seeing the struggle depicted on screen like this literally had me in tears. I hate to ruin the film for you if you haven’t seen it, but the victory at the end brought me to tears as well. It is a picture of God’s grace. We all were born at a disadvantage not because of our skin, but because of sin. We were all born in sin and shaped in inequity. Sin has caused a divide not only between man and God, but with each other in humanity. Others are looked up on as less than, because of sin. A white man looks at a black man as less than a man, because of sin.
Sin in our heart blinds the mind and causes us to see things in error. Then with our natural eyes a white man looks at a black man as inferior based on his appearance. God’s grace goes straight to the heart of man and it isn’t earned. God paid the price for us to have it, so His Spirit can teach us how to love. How to Love God and how to love each other. Grace gives us the power to overcome sin in us and to overcome any prejudices or negative feelings towards each other; and to treat each other graciously according to God’s word.
That leads us to our Throwback Theology Song of the Week. This is from the group Everyday Process. The featured song is from their 2007 album “Everyday Process: The Process of Illumination & Elimination.” The featured song is called “Grace.” Tune into Trackstarz to hear DJ Jeremaya spin this for the Throwback Theology Song of the Day. Until next time…
Peace blessings,
Damo
