Category: Professional

Many people have weighed in on the conviction of George Floyd’s killer. There have been many things said on both sides of the political aisle. I thought I would give my Christian perspective.

Murder is always a time to mourn. However, without condemning the murderer, we can look at the actions that have been seen on video by millions and take it as a time to assess ourselves.

These days, the loudest people who call themselves Christian aren’t necessarily known for living a Christ-like life. That can make it seem like we should give up on the religion entirely.

I have been encouraged and supported by several faithful Christians over the years. They may not be the loudest, but they have shown me to the love of God. Through them and their love, I have grown stronger in my faith.

But that’s not to say I am perfect. In fact, when I heard of the conviction, I immediately went to the Bible. I took it as an opportunity to assess myself. I believe Christianity is about working on yourself and much as it is showing love for others.

I asked myself: Am I capable of doing something that gruesome? Am I hardened?

I am a small person, and not very strong. It’s unlikely that I have the physical ability to harm someone in that same way. Even so, I checked my heart to find out if I was a hardened soul. It is easy to become hard in this world.

Then, I prayed. I asked God to give me the spirit of gentleness. After that, I read passages on gentleness in the Bible.

Gentleness is listed as a fruit of the spirit. God wants us to be gentle. It is also said that you will know real Christians by their fruits.

God peeled away the hardness I had been carrying with me. I now believe virtue can be a gift from God.

I may be one person who has asked God to change me because of the murder of George Floyd, but one person is more than zero. If more people tried to change themselves this way, we wouldn’t have to worry about police brutality (or the reputation of Christianity!)

I pray, dear reader, that God works upon you to give you the fruit of the spirit. Because, as the Bible says, against them, there is no law.

The other day, my mom was going through a box of papers. She found a note from my high school English teacher, Mrs. Orloff.

The note reads as follows:

“Dear Jennie

Thank you for the gift & the party. I will think of you often. You have challenged me to be a better teacher. I hope to go in a book store someday and see a stack of books by the famous author Jennie Lawson. Be good-be happy.

Mrs. Orloff”

I was close to my high school teachers. I attended a school for teen parents. Back then, it was called Teen Parent East. Now, it is called The Chiles Academy.

We had to fight for our education and the right to have a school that catered to our needs. Because of that, I got involved in politics at an early age. I will always thank my teachers for showing me how to advocate for myself and others.

The school had nutrition classes, parenting classes–in addition to regular classes in English, Math, etc. There was a daycare on site. I was able to breastfeed for two years because of that.

The school is now named The Chiles Academy after the late former governor Lawton Chiles, who visited our school and was supportive.

It is very important to have good teachers in your life. I am thankful that the vast majority of my formal educational experiences have been very positive.