Do all lives matter? God says yes! We are all created in His image (Genesis 1:26). He gave His Son to all—every single one of us (John 3:16). We all have value to God (Matthew 6:26, Luke 12:24). All lives matter—poor, rich, famous, obscure, forgotten, disrespected, unrepresented or out of mind. Those treated unjustly matter just as much as the privileged.

In today’s world—just as much as it has been in the past—there are those who feel and act as if some lives don’t matter as much as others do.

Do all lives matter to us in the Church of God?

In our hearts and in our actions, do we value those who are different with the proper concern and acknowledgement? As human beings we all have natural bias toward those who are similar to ourselves and often not favorable to those who are different. It takes conscientious effort to overcome these tendencies and to actually love all of our brothers as ourselves (Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31). Favoritism, which produces unjust treatment, is a sin (James 2:8-9).

I once heard a story about two men who were walking and talking:
The first man said, “Do you consider us good friends?”
The second man replied: “Yes, I consider you to be just like a brother.”
“Do you love me?”
“Yes, brother, I love you.”
“Do you know my pain?”
There was a pause.
“Well…no.”
“Then how can you truly love me?’

We in the Church of God must show love for one another by sympathizing, caring for, and even trying to walk a mile in another’s shoes so that we demonstrate real compassion (2 Peter 1:10). In recent weeks I have seen both authorities in positions of power as well as common citizens engage in acts producing loss of life and violent reactions in the streets.

I have personally observed and felt the pain of horrible injustice that, unfortunately once again, I and others express with tears, sadness and sorrow. We must pray for and seek to understand and comfort those who are suffering, physically or emotionally from pain and heavy hearts. We need the loving kindness of the Good Samaritan who aided a Jew (Luke 10:25-37). We must not hide behind our privileged status and distances, ignoring the elephant in the room (James 4:17).

God desires that there be righteousness (Hebrew tsedaquah) and justice (Hebrew misphat). Tsedaquah means having a right relationship with God and a right relationship with people, having equity despite social differences. Misphat means actions taken to correct injustice (Amos 5:24).

Appreciate and cherish everyone

So, let not God’s people be found wanting—through the absence of love and understanding, or with moral neglect or lack of compassion for others who are in some way different. Pray for, talk to and comfort one another (1 Peter 3:8). We should appreciate and cherish everyone. All are God’s children, all lives matter; none more than any others.

May God who gives this patience and encouragement help us live in complete harmony with each other as is fitting for followers of Jesus Christ (Roman 15:5). 

Vincent L. Braddock