OUTHSIDESCOOP

Fresh Dew

Woke,ReallyTho’?

BySis.RickiFuller

800ElmiraAvenue

Durham,NC27707 info@sside.org|www.sside.org

919.688.3535

Staff

OrlanderR.Thomas

SeniorMinister

WilliamA.Stephens

MinisterEmeritus

WileyShearin,Jr.

ElderEmeritus

RickiFuller

Women’sCounselor

CandiceP.Blount

ChurchAdministrator

QuentellaWilliams

ExecutiveAssistant

Deacons

JohnAlcox

AnthnoyGreen,Sr.

ArthurHackney

JohnMathis

ChesterMayfield,Jr.

RogerMcDougal

JoeWilliams

KeithWright

There have been ongoing conversations occurring over various news and internet platforms regarding the word ‘wokeness’. Being ‘woke’ is described by some as meaning that people are “alert to racial prejudice and discrimination” or “informed, educated, and conscious of social injustice and racial inequality.”

Yet, somehow, the current political climate in today’s society is swarming with fear and hatred for people who are woke to their historical and present experiences of inequality and injustice. How is it that awareness of and refusal to surrender to the lies, mistreatment, and outright unethical prejudice of people who declare themselves superior is a derogatory thing?! In this case, the haters of truth – those who would rather everyone, including themselves, be asleep - are really afraid they’ll lose something (prestige, position, money, etc.) by acknowledging and repairing the inequities perpetrated against the people whom they’ve sought to disempower.

And, then there’s Eve. Imagine, if you will, the utter surprise she must have experienced from the results of her having chosen to become ‘woke’ after listening to the half-truths fashioned by the evil, cunningly handsome serpent. We can clearly see in Genesis 3 that Eve was duped, mesmerized by the serpent’s deceptive words which led her to disobey GOD’s advice regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Essentially, her curiosity was raised far beyond her capacity to distinguish between truth and error. Perhaps this was so because her mind had not practiced seeing anything beyond what she and Adam were accustomed to. When the serpent said the opposite of what GOD had told Adam, Eve did not see clearly. She believed the serpent’s cunning words and concluded that she and Adam would be like GOD. The irony of this woke story is that the very thing she desired was already GOD’s plan for them. All that was required of them by GOD was to love and obey Him. They were comfortably and daily experiencing fellowship with GOD in the cool of the day. Yet after engaging in the very thing GOD said do not do…after their quiet rebellion, they were separated from GOD.

Just like the people who are mentally and emotionally trapped in perpetrating and perpetuating social, political, and systemic injustice only to stay on what they believe is ‘the top,’ the Adams were trapped in perpetrating lies about their actions! Therefore, being woke with eyes open, and conscious of life and what’s going on in our lives is a good thing And, it is crucial to seek GOD’s guidance on what our eyes are seeing so we may honor His will in all we say and do.

Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 describe the love, dedication, and compassion provided by GOD that is necessary to foster respect and equality in the world among all people. In The Strong Name of Jesus Christ!