Can we truly fulfill the admonition of St. Paul? “…Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.”
There is much that is wrong in our world today. The election of our first black President did not eliminate the racism that continues to stain our society. Senseless mass shootings continue to plague our nation. Isolated acts of terrorism demonstrate the vulnerability of our nation’s youth to radical extremism. Our nation continues to accept levels of poverty and income inequality that other advanced nations do not have. Despite vast investments of money, many young people do not receive the education that they require in order to function in our society. Yes, our world needs to change, but the world cannot change until each one of us changes.
But can we really live as St. Paul calls us to live? Can we really put on a new self and live in righteousness and holiness of truth? Leroy Smith is a black state trooper in South Carolina. He is, in fact, the Director of Public Safety. On July 18 ^th, white supremacists were holding a rally on the grounds of the state capitol in Columbia to protest the removal of the Confederate Flag. It was a hot, humid day and Trooper Smith saw an elderly white supremacist who had collapsed in the wilting heat. He wore a shirt emblazoned with a swastika. With the aid of the black fire chief of Columbia, Trooper Smith walked the man up the steep steps of the capitol, supporting and encouraging him the entire way. Finally, they reached the entrance to the capitol building and Trooper Smith led the man into the air-conditioned space so that he could recover. When an elderly, white supremacist was in need, how did two black men respond? With compassion and with grace. This is what means to put on a new self and live in righteousness and holiness of truth. This is how our world can change – when persons change and allow love to inform all that they say and do.
Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self. We can do it, if we try.