Let Us Not Forget the Origin of Our Strength

To understand African American people and culture, you must first understand the importance of the church, what its purpose has been throughout history, and the strength spirituality has given us. Historically, we have been exploited for our physical strength and creativity, yet our deep rooted spiritual connection to God and Mother Earth has kept us strong and able to persevere through hard times. The world has seen that you can enslave a people, steal the credit of their inventions, but can never control or kill the power of a divinely guided spirit.

Whitney Houston’s funeral was beautiful. It showed the world how African Americans have dealt with the pain of tragic losses since 1430 when our freedoms were first compromised. The strength gained through prayer and giving God praise has anchored our communities many times over. Watching the coverage of the funeral was somewhat shocking to me though. Most of the reporters seemed to be astonished by the celebratory nature of the service. Even CNN's Don Lemon seemed to be unfamiliar with some of the African American funeral traditions shown.

“Rejoice at death and cry at birth” is a phrase my Grandmother (RIP) used to say, but is not found in the scripture. The scripture that supports this idea is Ecclesiastes 7:1, which states, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.”

The extremely spiritual connection African Americans have experienced over the past 5 centuries is rooted from the extreme hardships and pain we have endured. Life was so hard physically and mentally that the thought of our souls being at rest brought more happiness than pain. We were lied to and treated horribly in so many ways that we came to understand “trust no man, only God alone.” We realized that life and death is a circle of energy. The promise of death, for those who believe in the Creator, equals the promise of everlasting life, rest and peace.

What the world saw was not a show. It was the sincere outpouring of love, grief, and thanks to God for granting Whitney Houston the time on earth that she had. The world saw the strength of a people who have become far too familiar with dealing with tragic losses. Too many times today African American churches have turned into big business, and worship programs seem to be extravagant well directed plays.

African Americans should be reminded to maintain and strengthen the spiritual connection our ancestors passed down to us.  Let it continue to be a reflection of our strength as in the centuries past. In society today, there has been a movement to leave behind the old traditions and the outlook of African American churches and communities. If we forget where we have been, Lord knows we will be blind as we progress in the future. 

Why Me Lord?

Why me Lord? This is a question many have pondered over centuries. When things are going wrong in one’s life or a tragedy hits, this is the main question we ask our Creator…Why me? Often most of us look at life from a selfish point of view. No matter what happens or who it happens too, the 1^st thing we ask is why this had to affect our lives as it has.

In November 0f 2007 my Grandmother (RIP) answered this question for me. I was visiting her at her assisted living apartment. I had just found out some news that broke my heart and changed the course of my life. As I sat crying, explaining the situation to her, she held my right hand in her hand and stared deep into my eyes. It felt like she was looking through me. She said nothing at first, just sat and listened. Towards the end my explanation I said “Lord… why me?” Her face became strong and stern and she asked me two simple questions. “Why not you? What makes you different or better than anyone else?”

At first I was taken back. Some would say her response was even cold. However if you were blessed enough to meet Elizabeth Shines, you know she was a straight shooter. She said what she meant and meant what she said. Every punishment and all the praise she gave me throughout my life was done in love, and this was no different. As I sat crying, pondering the questions she had posed, something clicked! My tears started to dry up. I took deep breathes and got myself together.

Why not me? Just because I grew up in a stable household, stayed out of trouble growing up, went to college and had tried to set my life on a promising course, did that mean I was above anything? See sometimes we get it twisted. We look at our standings and material wealth on this earth and believe that makes us better than others or less likely to encounter tragedy. How wrong we are.

God never promised each day would be easy. He never told us we would live without struggle. He never told us that heartache and pain wouldn’t affect our lives, so why do we feel like that? Life is nothing but a series of tests God puts us through. The more you know and stronger you are, the more tests you will encounter. Instead of crying over spilled milk and asking yourself “why”, ask yourself “what now.”

I have lost loved ones to the Lord and to the earth. I’ve had it all and lost everything. My understanding of God, my purpose, and the realities of life have strengthened me. I no longer as “Why me”, I say thank you Lord for all the trials and tribulations because stress creates growth. Life is like a heavyweight fight. You are going to get knocked down. You are going to bleed, break bones and get scares and scrapes that may never heal. But in the end the only thing that matters is did you get up and keep fighting. No matter what you’re going through, thank God for it. Embrace the struggle and the strength you will gain from it. Always remember this statement, “That which does not kill you, will only make you stronger.”