Psalm 112:7: Evil Reports
Bus station in Durham, North Carolina in 1940. JACK DELANO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
We receive many reports of evil in a world that is increasingly interconnected, and too often it is difficult to sort reality from illusion. Public Radio host Diane Rehm featured “Two perspectives on life in the Jim Crow South: how white children learned to believe that black Americans were inferior and the crushing conditions that motivated millions of African Americans to move from the South in search of a better life”.
Racism, tribalism, discrimination and bigotry distort our perception of who we are and who we might be. For the just one, the psalmist tells us, conducts affairs with justice, is firm of heart and steadfast in the Lord. The just one does not fear an evil report. Might we say that we have such confidence? Might we say that we have no fear of evil reports?
When we listen to the podcast of Rehm’s show, Two Views of the Jim Crow South and its Legacy Today, we might determine how fear moves us into or out of the world of bigotry. And we might consider the legacy we pass on to our children. And we might determine to take some action – either small or great – to show that in the face of evil reports, we will refuse to teach hatred of the other to future generations.
For the Rehm podcast, click on the image above, or go to: https://dianerehm.org/shows/2016-11-25/two-views-on-the-jim-crow-south-and-its-legacy-today-rebroadcast-rebroadcast
For a Noontime reflection on Psalm 112, enter the word and number Psalm 122 into the blog search bar and reflect.
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