In His Likeness w/ AntTBri

I went to see the Jackie Robinson movie 42 the day it came out. The movie gave lively witness to the endurance and strength of character when challenged and confronted with the tides of change. Harrison’s Ford character (Branch Rickey) asks the character playing Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to have the courage not to fight back. Now there’s a concept to ponder as we live and love in God’s likeness together. Do we have the courage to not respond, to operate opposite the justification of retaliation, revenge, and recompense? Can we focus on the bigger picture…live and love for the greater good? Is it possible that we can be the example…the representation of Christ in and under extreme amounts of pressure, perplexities, and problems?

In this very moment one scene keeps revisiting my memory. It’s the scene said to be added for emphasis in the movie. The scene when Jackie Robison is pushed to his limit, when he is at his breaking point, tempted to resort to his old way of dealing with bigotry, injustice, and racism. I’m thinking of the scene right before he enters the dugout and breaks down. Jackie is being taunted, teased, tempted to respond or rise to the occasion and Mrs. Robinson (Nicole Beharie) wills him strength…she says something to the effect “look at me baby” (while sitting in the stands at a distance). She wants to remind him to keep and maintain his composure; reminding him not to let all they’ve already endured be for naught…worth nothing. She is empathetic to his struggle and sensitive to his straining to stay the course. She is in the stands but on the field with him… her words, the look in her eyes and the warmth of her heart with him…lets us know she takes pleasure in being his place of respite that they share a connection that can’t be penetrated. We witness her wanting to serve as his reminder…to refresh or renew his resolve to help change the world.

“Look at me baby”…find me and fix your focus…it’s me and you against this mean, rude, and obstinate world. She was his partner and even more his private place of acceptance, affirmation, and accolade. “You got this you are more than this moment, more than the ignorance coming at you”. In essence she was saying it doesn’t matter what they say or think about you all that matters is who we know you to be…a hero, trail blazer, instrument of change, inspiration, a role model, example, the man…skilled, strategic, and sensational…memorable, impacting, influential…strong, stable and secure…the type that sticks with it, stays, and stands for the principle even when he’s feeling pressure, pain, and perplexed. “Baby be more than they expect you to be…be all God trust you to be…be the man I’m privileged to see”.

With the weight of his mission on his shoulders and everything that makes him a man pressing, pressuring, and plummeting him into rebuttal he chooses to be the bigger man, to walk away…to hold his peace…to take it…to be integral and not be reduced to the enemy’s tactic. With his bat in tow, while screaming out in frustration, feeling like he can’t endure the process of change without retaliation and the shedding of private tears Jackie Robinson demonstrates the strength of his character. He stands, stays, and sticks with the process without returning evil for evil. What a man…what a testimony and example for us to follow. We may be in our right to get them told, to prove or show them a thing or two, to put them in their place and treat them just as dirty as they’ve treated us. We may even be able to vindicate ourselves and enjoy some false sense of victory. But at what cost…what price are you choosing to pay? After that then what…what have we’ve proven…that we can be as vengeful or vindictive as they’ve been to us? Now what? Where is the work of the Holy Spirit (with, in and working through us)? Where is the witness of God’s grace? Is that God’s Word/ Way of life and love?

Don’t be mean, indifferent, or cold. Don’t turn into the beast…don’t let the other twin out…stay passionate, purposeful, and powerful in all your dealings. Handle this like you would want to be handled…extend the work of forgiveness and trust God to right every wrong. Trust Him he is your defense, your stronghold, and safety. Your future is secure you have nothing to prove and have lost out on nothing. What’s for you is for you…your blessing has your name on it. Watch God prove the doubters wrong. Now seek to understand God’s heart concerning life and love…what He desires you do and DO IT. Now use the lessons of life and love to build upon and be better. Now focus and fix your eyes on us. The us that decided it’s for God’s glory that we live and love. Now we please God together…no more looking back on the unexpected, unintended and underscoring of what could have or should’ve been. Us is the plan, purpose and pursuit of all our effort up unto this point. God’s getting the glory that’s all that matters.

Don’t you act a fool…you are the king…people are depending on your strength…relying on your strength…looking to your example for strength. You are integral, wiser, and better than most. Anointed and gifted to stand through this. God trust you with the care of yourself and His people continue to do life and love unto Him. Be His example of what love is, how it functions, and what it does. Walk it out well. We need you…the best of you…the you we believe in, support and love. We’re standing with and by you because we see the difference your life is making…forget what the haters are saying and what they tried to do…it didn’t work, stop or change a thing. The setback was a set up for the greater breaking forth in your life. God’s gifting you beyond it…because of it…but most of all because He wants you to know his heart towards you. You’re loved completely and the delay has intensified the on pour of affection, acceptance, and affirmation that will be bestowed upon you in the near future. God’s gifting you with help, someone to help you bear the weight of all you’re called to… someone who understands and undergirds your struggles and your strengths. You were called and chosen to be who you are and to do what you do. Do what’s right and be as unto the Lord…live and love in His stead…help change how others perceive and pursue authentic genuine love. Now that’s what’s up.

Robinson legacy inspires us to believe in the greater good of all people. He persevered and provoked the acceptance of the inevitable change taking place in the game of baseball. He had the help, love, and support of his wife who also told him how to outsmart his opponents. Together they impacted history and lived and loved each other in such a way that their story has been told, is being talked about, and serves as a teaching resource. You can live and love and make a difference if you choose to accept, adapt and be accountable to God’s Word and Way. He’s with you, willing you to fulfill His purpose and plan for your being. Look and fix your eyes on Him. He is your present help when you’re being tempted, tested, and tried. Hold your peace and allow Him to fight and defeat the enemy on your behalf. He is perfecting everything concerning you. You’re coming out on top…your best days are ahead of you. Meet you on the field…we’re going to celebrate you knocking it out the park. You’re name will be remembered…people will say you lived and loved in God’s likeness in pleasure, under pressure, and through perplexities. This we understand, we will use as we live and love in God’s likeness…the world may not be ready for us but together we will help change how others perceive God’s love expressed humanly. Now what? We stand, stick it out and stay with the God plan, purpose and passionately pursue life and love beyond the obstacles and opposition of everything opposing our future success~AntTBri