Durante Bene Placito Regis

As I was tidying up around my apartment this afternoon my mind was everywhere. I was thinking about all of the different posts I was seeing online concerning the recent attacks across the world, the Syrian refugees, what that looks like for our country, and the countless opinions of others.

 I'm not one to always say my thoughts about different current events happening or to share my opinion and feelings on the matter so that everyone knows, but I would like to share something tonight. 

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At the pleasure of the king.

This is what popped into my head earlier this afternoon. 

I didn't quite understand how this phrase would just randomly be on my mind, but I had a feeling that there was a lesson for me there. So I have been chewing on this phrase for the past few hours now trying to understand it. 

Durante Bene Placito Regis

Latin for "during the pleasure of the king, or during the King's favor."

It means that no one could hold an official position against his (the Kings) will. 

This notion of power has existed for quite some time now. We have seen it in the early 13th century. We see it today. 

In the United States, it's called "at the pleasure of the President."

In the United Kingdom, it's called "at the pleasure of the Queen."

It's all around. This power of control. The dedicated service of oneself to another at their discretion. At their pleasure. 

Politically speaking, this "pleasure idea" means control. It means the authority of one individual. 

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As I am beginning to process and translate what this phrase means to me personally I realize now, more than ever, that I should always strive to serve at the pleasure of the King. 

My King. Jesus Christ. 

I will never hold a position against His will. 

I will never have sole authority. 

And that's the way it should be. 

As God wills, so it will be. 

It will not be thwarted. 

God continues to drive home the point to me that He is in control and He is Sovereign. 

He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. That's not just a saying we hear in church. It's truth. And I think it's time that we as a community of believers remember that. 

So, in spite of everything happening around me, I choose to serve at the pleasure of the King. 

I chose to stand by His will and not try to overthrow it. I chose to believe that He is ultimately in control of everything.  I chose to trust in Him.

 I chose to speak when He tells me to speak. I chose to stay silent when He tells me to stay silent. 

I chose to give when He tells me to give. I chose to withhold when He tells me to withhold. 

I chose to stay when He tells me to stay. I chose to go when He tells me to go. 

I chose to not be afraid. I chose to have hope in Him. 

A Stand on Truth

Biologist, anthropologist, and geneticist. These are a few words that describe something I am not. A disclaimer of sorts, to make you aware that these are not fields of study I am educated on. However, I will use what little knowledge I do have, and some of what I don't to hopefully convey the things that are in my heart that I wish to share. The topic is touchy, unpopular, and hard if I'm being honest. The topic is race and racism.

The definition of race is a group of people united or classified together on the basis of a common history, nationality, or geographic distribution. I was doing my own research today, if you can even call it that and I have discovered that actually, most scientist don't even recognize race as a biologically valid classification.

"To sum up, the indictment of the anthropological concept of race is (1) that it is artificial; (2) that it does not agree with the facts; (3) that it leads to confusion and the perpetuation of error, and finally, that for all these reason it is meaningless, or rather more accurately such meaning as it possess is false. Being so weighed down with false meaning it were better that the term were dropped altogether than that any attempt should be made to give it a new meaning. 

[Montagu,Ashley, The Concept of Race, 1964]

I came across that quote and found it interesting. As I continued to read different articles I have found that it is still an argument in which both sides (those who believe in race as just a social classification, and those who believe it is more than that) have their own valid points. So I came to the conclusion that I actually have no clue which is correct. Like I said, I am not a biologist, anthropologist, or geneticist. So no, I don't know which is true, but I do think it shouldn't matter.

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I have read countless articles and news reports about the various social and racial injustices that have been happening across the country, and the world. I have read the different status updates people have posted. It all saddens me.

Racism is nothing new to this world. It has been around for ages. A belief that certain people groups are inferior and superior. And, it's so much more than just between races. There is racism between economic status, orientation, religious beliefs, and political views.

It was around in when the Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians.

It was around when Hitler persecuted and killed over 6 million Jews.

It was around during the Civil War where a nation fought over slavery.

It was around when blacks were treated unequally and differently in America before desegregation.

It was around after racial discrimination was outlawed in America

It is around today.

It would be naïve to say that it's not.

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My grandfather was from the Philippines. He was very dark skinned. My father, being half Filipino, is also dark. I remember when I was in 1st grade going up to my teacher and telling her that my mom was white and my dad was brown. My parents never corrected me growing up because they didn't want me to see color. They wanted me to see people. I was fortunate to grow up in a home that taught me the value of the person. Sadly, that's not the case for many today.

I constantly hear people putting others down based on skin color and social standings. There always seems to be name calling and finger pointing. I am seeing entire race generalizations, stereotypes, and assumptions. I see a nation offended at one another. I see a nation divided.

So I am taking a stand on truth.

I can't fix the race problem in America, or the world. I can't change the hearts and minds of people. I can't take away the hurt that has grown and continued to spread across the lives of those around me and those in this country. I can't ease the pain from the families of those who have been personally impacted by the recent events.

What I can do is trust God.

I can trust that He is sovereign.

I can make sure my heart and will stays aligned with His.

I can make sure I don't take personal offense to the things people say out of hurt or anger.

I can make sure that I extend compassion.

I can make sure that even though racism might exist in my city, state, and country, it doesn't exist in me.

I can love people where they are for who they are.

"So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female." [Genesis 1:27]

There is infinite worth in everyone. There is a unique beauty in our differences. And, while many people can't see that right now, I stand by it.