Toni V. Lee

The bat...Romans 13 has been repeatedly used to beat folk into submission and oppression.  Let's talk about it...It's long, but overdue. This passage of scripture has often been interpreted to mean that Christians must blindly obey the government with no dissent or questioning.  It's been used as a bat by Christian leaders throughout history to ensure total and blind submission during turbulent and horrific times. For instance, it was used against slavery abolitionists, the Civil Rights Movement, opposition to Hitler in Nazi Germany, etc.  Blind obedience and submission is not what that passage means for other scripture let's us know we shouldn't disobey...or rebrand (calling evil good and good evil)...God in our obedience to and support of man.  In the Romans 13 passage of scripture, Paul says that rulers are not a terror to good works, but evil. You should be afraid if you do evil, not good.  Context is important. Paul wrote those passages during the early par...

Let's talk about it.  Historical records indicate King Ahab was viewed by some as a strong and influential leader because of his military power and economic successes.  The Bible tells us that because of his actions and what he allowed, his reign was one of oppression, corruption, and injustice.  He was a morally and spiritually bankrupt leader who led Israel into worshipping a false god, instead of the true and living God.  He was greedy, weak--easily influenced and led, self-centered, emotionally immature, and morally corrupt.  You'd think nobody in their right mind would support that kind of leader, right? Some did, including prophets. Not the Lord's but Ahab's court prophets...the prophets of the false god.  In a showdown, the 450 prophets of the false god were no match for Elijah--the prophet of the true and living God. They were brought to an open shame, then disappeared.  Ahab reigned for 22 years. For 22 years, the people Israel endured his gre...

During the horrors of yesterday's deadly whippings, lynchings, death camps, concentration camps, white supremacist persecutions, etc., some folk spoke out. They lost friends and family. They risked all to stand for right.  As it is today, there were also some who dismissively blamed the victims saying, "They should have complied...done as they were told." Those standing for right were not viewed with warm and fuzzy feelings.  As it is today, those opposing the atrocities were considered undesirable agitators, too political, and rebels & insurgents (domestic terrorists). Like yesterday, some of these folk do not claim to be Christians...yet, some do--they teach Bible classes, preach, prophesy, and attend church services faithfully.  Heartless, soulless, and self-centered folk existed during yesterday's atrocities...they exist during today's. Just keepin' it real...

Christians are getting swift and brutal clapback when they rebuke other Christians for posts they don't like--most have made them uncomfortable in their religious zones.  The ones that tickle me are those that begin with "You aren't saved because..." and "That kind of behavior is not in the Bible."  These draw my chuckles, "Jesus would never say or do anything like that..." and "That's not Christ-like..." 🤭  Let's talk about it...☕🍩  Jesus was blunt and didn't bite His tongue. He wasn't being mean or nasty. He saw it and called what He saw.  He called folk... ▪️Blind guides  ▪️Fools ▪️Serpents  ▪️A generation of vipers  ▪️Hypocrites Jesus scolded.  He rebuked.  He told people they were like whited supulchres…full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. Meaning, they were white and shiny--holy--on the outside but full of decay and rot on the inside.  Jesus was so indignant about what was going on in the Temple... ▪️He...

Buckle up... After studying the preponderance of the evidence, I have come to the conclusion that people need to get over themselves.  If you think the absence of your presence or footprint, stops the show or impacts the significance and validity of the show, you are sadly mistaken. Why? You are important...but not THAT important.  I mean, it's not about you. It's bigger than you. Your participation is welcomed...but not needed. Why? Sweetie, you can't stop the show. Why? You are just not THAT important. What made you have such an over inflated view of the importance and impactfulness of YOU that you think you can stop the show by doing or not doing...whatever?  See, you ARE important...but your are NOT crucial. The show WILL go on with you...or without you.  Communities would be stronger, families would be more cohesive, churches would be operating on a higher level, relationships would be more enduring, friendships would last...if people would...just...get...over.....

It cuts deep when someone confides their heart tears to clergy or other church leadership, then the next time they attend service, they overhear the congregation whispering about their business or they catch folk swallowing their words mid-sentence because the sentence was about them.  During that same service, the Pastor will preach his heart out, the congregation will praise and worship enthusiastically, all while the person sits in their midst with a broken and bleeding heart. The person who was broken is not the problem. No, it's not them. 🙅🏾‍♀️The problem is every single tongue that participated in the breaking/slashing. That's called church hurt. It happens...a lot.  There is no perfect church. I agree 💯. BUT that is no excuse for operating in the flesh and hurting people in a place that should be a REFUGE from pain and heartache. Don't be that church. Just keepin' it real...