Being George Zimmerman

Warning: The example in this blog involves the case on Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman and calls the reader to imagine.


         Imagine George Zimmerman was pronounced not-guilty, not deserving of the punishment he should get. With all the evidence going on and surfacing, it's hard, for me, to see why he has not been arrested. Imagine that the judge recognizes this. The jury recognizes this. Even his own attorney recognizes this. And what is the judgement call? A pardon.

After killing in cold blood, throwing out racial slurs, lying to the police, faking a beat up, disobeying authorities, sparking nation wide uproar, he is allowed to walk away 

unpunished.

But why? How can anyone see this evidence and make this case?

           They do see the evidence and are ready to make a guilty call, but suddenly his dad steps up and takes the place of his son. Robert Zimmerman approaches the judge and the jury begging to take the place of his son so he won't have to face the consequences of his actions. They agree. Even Martin's family agrees. Someone must pay the price. And when that price is paid, George Zimmerman is pronounced justified with the Martin family because someone else paid the price, he himself does not have to.

Imagine the uproar! The outcries of the nations!

How can someone so bad be given a second chance to life? How can this wretched man be allowed to live? HE MUST PAY!!

Imagine the feeling of liberation on the part of G. Zimmerman!

"I don't deserve this!" "I am unworthy of this sacrifice." "I did all these bad things, but don't have to pay the ultimate consequence for it?" Zimmerman will carry the guilt, will forever be at the mercy of the Martin family and will never be able to repay ANYONE for the pardon he was given. 

Imagine if you were George Zimmerman.

I am George Zimmerman.

I am guilty of passing judgement on my friends because of my holier-than-thou mentality

I am guilty of lying to my parents so they won't know what I do at school.

I am guilty of betraying my best friend to see a guy that I thought I was interested in.

I am guilty of pretending to be/do who I am not.

I am guilty of being bitter because I'm jealous, angry because I am defiant and lashing out because I refuse to see eye-to-eye.

For all the times I am Trayvon Martin--being misunderstood by society, friends, family--I am many times over George Zimmerman. 

But if it were not for the sacrifice someone else took in my place, I would have paid the consequences. I should have paid the consequences. That alone is enough to recognize my imperfection. I will never be perfect and so I have no choice by to be at the mercy of my Father. To say " God, have mercy on me, a sinner." 

Unlike George Zimmerman, though, I have someone who willing takes my place and in doing so, compels me to right my wronged relationships. The mercy and love I have been showing is not without its return. By accepting the sacrifice in my place, I am called to respond by showing that same mercy to others and pointing them to the hope that the sacrifice gives. Hope that promises:

"He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

(Psalm 103:9-12)

I will eternally apologize for my mistakes, the way I hurt people, but with the Love I've received, I desire to do better and be better. I don't deserve this pardon, but I want to live right because that's what accepting a pardon calls us to do.

How have you hurt your fellow human being?
What should your punishments be?

How do you respond to this judgment call of a pardon?

*Jesus does not condone murder nor any act of discrimination, stereotyping, or hate, so neither do I. This isn't a perfect portrayal of the sacrifice Jesus made, but it's only to give us a glimpse into the concept of forgiveness and pardon. 

The Remedy

Oh HEEEEY beautiful reader!


I just want to share these lyrics with you. Today, things panned out in a way I would NOT have imagined. After deciding not to skip a class and own up to my actions (possibly resulting in the loss of a potential position for next year), God still showed me His mercy. I figure I don't deserve it because I mess life up in different ways quite frequently, but the type of security I have in Him remains unshaken. 


Jesus is the only remedy to my craziness. 'The Remedy' by Ayiesha Woods.

A little too much time on your hand
So many things pressing your heart
Now you're caught up in a brain storm
And the winds are tearing you apart
And what matter the most now
Shouldn't matter at all
You forgot who's holding you up
And He won't let you fall

Who's in control of your life
And knows better than you ever will
Who tells you time and again
Hush and be still
It's time to recognize
That your answer in His eyes
Where the river flows If you'll just

Free your mind
And the peace of God will follow
Just give yourself a little time
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow

Don't you know that His joy is your strength
Can you fathom it
Peace beyond your understanding
When you gonna grab a hold of it
Cause you're life's not your own
You can't do it alone
There is a remedy if you will let go and just...

Free your mind
And the peace of God will follow
Just give yourself a little time
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow

Don't you know just thinking about it,
Ain't gonna add one hour
Tell me who's in control

'God, I am grateful for the fact that you're NOT human. You work things out in the most perfect way ever and kick in when I've thrown in the towel. You never give up on me which is great because I gave up on myself around 5:45am this morning. I'm sure my family sometimes wants to give up on me, but because you are YOU, that's just not the case. Not trying to take this for granted, so I'm here to say thank you for all you do on my behalf.'

Much love, peace and thankfulness grease,

    Ife 'Quipayan' S.

P.S. It's Tuesday! Yay!

Psych yourself up

Well, howdie there.
Welcome to my blog! Thanks for taking the time out to read. It's pretty sweet that you found it (or stumbled across it)! I'm glad you're here. But hold your horses; you have to keep reading to get the gist of this blog here.

Psalm 77: 11-20.

Have you ever tried to psych yourself out? As in, you're feeling one way, but you're telling yourself to feel another or do another? That's what the psalmist did in this passage. At least that's what it looks like to me. I started reading the passage from 11 onward and thought, "Wow! This writer sure sounds happy to have God in his life." Maybe, or he's really sad.

The verses beforehand, the ones I hadn't read, are pretty sad and anguish-filled. The psalmist was probably crying his eyes out. He says "my soul refused to be comforted." If feel that this could be as sad as it gets. Not only was he distressed, but his own soul was troubled! Snaps.

That is the general tone of the 9 verses.

But.....there is a twist!

In verse 10 he says this: "Then I thought, 'To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." A light turns on in his head where I tries a new approach to begging God for a change in his life. He remembers the good.

By remembering the good, he psyches himself out to forget the awful. He makes the decision to appeal to God's grace in his life. I would have kept moping and producing waterfalls. But seriously though.

Let's remember "the deeds of the Lord: yes...remember [His] miracles of long ago." This is how we appeal to God's kindness and mercy in our lives. For troubles will always come, but once we make the decision to recall the great things God has done, we psych ourselves up, but not on false promises or works, but on true, longstanding acts of the Creator of the heavens and the earths.

Ya'll it's been real. Much love, peace and remembering grease,

Ife  'Quipayan' S.