(ThyBlackMan.com) We are all familiar with Hans Christian Anderson’s fable ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’; wherein two tricksters come to town and convince an ego laden Emperor and a susceptible town folk that as he rides in his carriage amidst a ceremonial parade, he is adorned in magnificent clothing. It took the unsuspecting innocence of a child to come forward and declare that which was TRUE.
A child, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his eyes showed them to him, went up to the carriage.
“The Emperor is naked,” he said.
(Excerpt taken from: ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ by Hans Christian Anderson)
In the wake of the Eddie Long scandal, amidst the self serving gag orders, the exorbitant out of court settlements; the duplicitous mockery of the David / Goliath avowal and the five stones he never threw, I think it’s time we ask ourselves …literally ‘who are we serving?’
Is it the CREATOR or the created?
And take your time…it’s only eternity.
Ensconced in the African American community is a beautiful tradition of protection and unity. Born out of necessity it has served as an abiding safe haven a blanket of refuge and preservation when our very nation despised our humanity. Although we are not the only culture or entity that 
protects its endemic; it has been our Churches, our hair salons, our barber shops, and the like where we have felt the freedom to truly be ourselves…surrounded by our own, accepted and redeemed. This tradition of protection has been a part of our unique legacy, an understanding without words time honored and true. But when tradition no matter how well intended stands in direct opposition to the righteousness of a Holy GOD it is no longer a blessing it is a self inflicted curse.
In 1995 when OJ was declared ‘not guilty’ along with many of you I let out a cheer of relief and had the nerve to feel vindicated and happy. A little for him but mostly for the African American men for whom the voice of justice remained strangled in their throats. I cheered for Emmett Louis Till, Medgar Wiley Evers and Geronimo Pratt.
But they are no longer with us and I paid their struggle no honor by exalting that which was spurious. Still, instead of seeing things as my eye’s showed them to me I went with tradition and dutifully put up the firewall of protection.
‘If it don’t fit you must acquit’
College educated, well read and reasonable…still I went around proudly chanting that ridiculous ghetto rhyme. I disregarded the failed lie detector test as well as the victim’s blood found in his home and car and let his difficulty putting on a glove serve as the lone attestation of his innocence.
Amazing.
I joined with many as the history of our struggle so engrained in our psyche became the antithesis of reason, truth and light; serving only as a warden to our blindness and a testimony of our destructive inability to recognize the nakedness of the emperor.
When the allegations against Bishop Eddie Long first surfaced I chose not to write on the issue because allegations are by definition assertions made with no proof. And I believed that he as well as those young men deserved their day in court. Yes, I was disturbed and found it suspect that Bishop Long never categorically denied the charges and that his address from the pulpit regarding the issue was nebulous at best. But as he said, “It will be tried in a court of justice”. So I waited patiently for ‘due process’ to have its say.
And it did have its say, at the expense of the New Birth congregants and at the behest of the Bishop’s ego. Unlike Long promised there was no court of justice, no day of reckoning, just lawyers, millions of dollars, and more silence.
What did I expect? Well I guess I expected what the situation called for from a man to whom GOD has given stewardship over a people; a transparent discussion of the allegations and a forthright answer to the question that was on everyone’s mind. Did you or did you not do the unconscionable? Because although it has become common place in this age,…it is still unconscionable. I also expected a fight. Because when you are innocent and you have been charged with something as grotesque and shameful as the manipulation and flagrant sexual abuse of young people, you fight. You fight in defense of the sanctity of the church, the ministry of the gospel and the testimony of your character. Why would a man of GOD be comfortable accepting the moniker of such a heinous act? And believe me he did accept it. An agreement to mediation from the accused is legally a forfeiture of the right to ever claim innocence.
What’s that I hear?…Ah yes, it’s the indubitable sound of certainty.
The certainty of silly sheep to haul out the fire wall of protection, peppered with a bit of see no evil, hear no evil for flavor. ‘Let’s not judge’…..’He still gives a good word’….’I’ve been a member for years, it’s gonna take a lot more than this for me to leave my pastor’. Really?!… Are we so far gone that the standard of CHRIST takes a back seat to our familiar comfort.
Who are we serving?
Really, who are we serving when we allow a spirit of arrogance to stand in the house of the Lord, butchering the trust of the faithful with impunity? And how must we appear to an unsaved world when we let the unconscionable run amuck in HIS house? What then can we say of our testimony? Truly, who are we serving? There is such a thing as righteous anger and with passion it’s time to raise a standard against anything that would dare come as an affront to the truth of GOD. It is not okay to abuse power, trust and children; and when you do so it is more than just a ‘wreck’. It is an offense to the CHRIST by whose blood we have all been purchased. The church is GOD’s property, the people are GOD’s people and the entrusted stewardship of them is a humble authority. Yes, HE is faithful to redeem, forgive and cleanse us of our unrighteousness – but it is the obsequious repentant heart in which HE seeks to do it. Taking any other posture is an insult to HIS grace and authority.
I will never forget the day I heard Rev. Walter Hawkins teach on Ephesians 2:8-9. ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of GOD: Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ It is the great leveling of the field. The truest common denominator, linking us all to one profound truth: There is literally nothing we can do to be ‘good enough’ to deserve the grace of GOD. It is a gift to which no man can boast a haughty worthiness. So in earnest we all stand sin soaked needing the restorative, redemptive power of HIS grace. But it does not come in darkness. For truly how can there be healing when there is no transparent accountability. How can iron sharpen iron if we do not challenge each other to walk in truth? The word of GOD is clear; if we confess our sins HE is faithful to forgive us. But what remains is also clear. A relationship that exists where you can stand before me and offer an exegesis on the word of GOD but not give an open repentant account of your own humanity is a relationship built on a foundation that does not support full growth.
I am a sinner; flawed and imperfect in too many ways to count. Daily I am grateful for HIS love and HIS grace. And for the times that I repeatedly fall short (and there are many) I am grateful for HIS mercy. I am made better by flawed people who dare to hold me accountable and who expect the best of me in CHRIST. I call these people my friends.
Bishop Long, there is no doubt of GOD’s love for you. There is only the hope that you would trust that love completely and allow it to have its perfect work in your life. Standing in truth before those who have trusted you and allowing anything that you have built without HIM to fall away. A tall order indeed but the illusion is to think that anything not born of HIM can stand.
Staff Writer; Erin L. Wiley
Feel free to contact this talented sista at the following address; misserin91501@yahoo.com.
