A Trial Starts Today

One of the most famous trials in human history is remembered this week . . . and it’s not about OJ or Manson. It was the trial of an innocent person who spoke the Truth and it got him executed. It was a quick and ridiculous trial involving a jury of sorts – the Sanhedrin – and judge who was mightily influenced by the popular crowd in his sentencing.

The overwhelming focus this week will skip ahead to Easter brunch and an egg hunt. But please remember there was a trial and it was a joke.

There is another trial that begins today in Minneapolis with opening statements against a former police officer named Derek Chauvin. Please do not call this the George Floyd Trial. Mr. Floyd was the victim whose death in front of millions was clearly unjust whether he paid for cigarettes with a fake $20 or not, whether he was drunk or not.  It’s one of countless examples of justice gone wrong.

There is enormous opportunity in this trial.  There is an opportunity for justice.  There is an opportunity for reflection especially by White People.  There is an opportunity for remembering that when all the White People posted solid black boxes on our social media profile pictures and then took them down and never mentioned George Floyd’s name again, it might be an excellent time to revisit racial injustice in this country.  If we were shocked by the death of George Floyd and never thought about it again after most of the Black Lives Matter marches ended, this is a good time to pray for a just trial.

We have all seen our share of unjust trials.  The trial of Jesus was a joke and yet God redeemed it three days later.  We pray that the trial of Derek Chauvin would not be a joke.  

Please pray for the jurors, the attorneys, the judge, the Floyd family, and Mr. Chauvin this week.  We also pray for redemption knowing that the God of the vulnerable expects us to be like Jesus.

Image is the magnificent cover of the June 22, 2020 New Yorker by Kadir Nelson.