After We Pray... THEN What?

As I write this post, the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast is taking place.

As I write this post, the families of two young women in St. James, are grieving. The 29 and 25-year old women were shot, execution-style, at a business place yesterday. Their bodies were found at about 1:00 p.m.

I'm honestly not listening to the sermon being broadcast live from the Prayer Breakfast. I've been going to church since I was 5 years old. I have 33 years of sermons inside my cranium. With all due respect, I'm sure I've heard it before in some way, shape or form.

I want to know: what are we going to DO?

My finger is pointed at myself as I ask this question: after we pray, WHAT? Are we really prepared to make a difference in our families, in our workplaces, in our nation? Have we counted the personal cost of actually LIVING what we pray?

Or are we going to continue to remain safely within the four walls of the church, content to live a safe, private Christianity that doesn't challenge the status quo?

Let's think about it. After we pray, after we get up off our knees: if we are going to ACT based on what the Bible says, we're going to rock a lot of boats in this country. Including our personal boats.

It means that we're going to personally, individually, speak out against injustice when we see it, wherever we see it, despite the inconvenience to our comfort.

It means that we're going to personally, individually, live our integrity out loud, whenever and wherever, despite the inconvenience to our reputation.

It means that we're personally, individually, going to challenge the system when the system itself encourages corruption. Which means challenging the people who perpetuate this corruption. Whenever and wherever we encounter this.

So let's bring it home. When we rise from our knees after prayer, and we witness a crime, are we going to think of the cost to our lives, to the lives of our family members and then... speak out? Or are we going to remain silent?

When we become aware of fraudulent practices in our place of employment, after we have considered the implications for our own employment status, and its impact on our lives and the lives of our family members, are we going to speak out? Or are we going to remain silent?

When the state considers or even enacts legislation that is anti the law of God, that is burdensome to the people, that is unfair and unjust: after we think about the cost to our reputation and all that it means, are we going to speak out? Or are we going to remain silent?

If we're going to pray, then we need to be willing to take action after we pray. After all, God uses our hands, our feet, our minds, to do His work here on earth.

If we are not willing to make the personal sacrifices to make Jamaica, our own country, a better place for us, our children, and future generations... Who will be? Who else do we expect to stand up for us?

I speak to myself. The time for apathy, for standing on the sidelines, is over. Tings ah gwaan too bad now. I've got to pray more... then stand up, go outta street, and get my hands dirty.

After I've counted the cost.

God help me. God help us. God help our nation. Jamaica land we love.