Heartless Humanity

I’ve watched one of the most gut-wrenching videos today. A man who is expressing his happiness that Kobe Bryant passed away. Apparently, it is a “good story” the story of the athlete’s passing. His reason, “he raped a girl.” Is this what our society have become??? – a heartless generation full of vengeance and emptied of compassion? – a people who would rather harden their hearts than to forgive. Will we let the hate for the sin supersede the love for the sinner? 

Have we forgotten who we are? all sinners, imperfect beings, mere mortals, here today, gone tomorrow, becoming nothing but mere memories and a thing of the past. While Kobe’s family are picking up the shattered pieces of what is left of their hearts hoping to survive and navigate this new horrific reality, some people who are rejoicing. That’s cruel – completely heartless!

I don’t know ANY facts about this allegation nor do I care to know. My message to the World is this, love must prevail! While we are busy hating and passing judgment on someone because of their sin, God has already forgiven them of that sin and has given them a platform to be great. The World at large, religious and non-religious people quote Psalm 23. Have we forgotten who the author was? He was a king, very influential and very admired but he was full of flaw. God used him anyway! And we read the psalms anyway.

And if… Kobe did indeed hurt that woman, we pray for her and hope she is finding healing and restoration. And we forgive him. We move on and we remember him, his mentorship and his legacy. We remember Kobe for his mark on the World. We remember how he embodied love on the court. We remember the smile he always carried around. We remember him for being a beam of light for many to see. We remember him for being a virtual adoptive father to thousands of thousands of boys whose biological father never showed up. We also remember he wasn’t perfect, and we love him despite it all.

Then there are the people who’ve been judging those who are grieving and crying and never met Kobe. This is HEALTHY! This is a TRAGEDY! We cry because it is tormenting and piercing. No one deserve this death. We cry for Gianna Gigi, who was just beginning her own journey. She will never get take on the torched that she was destined to. We cry for Vanessa, Bianka and Capri whose king and princess are never coming home. We’ve never met them but they are human and so are we. We feel their pain. 

It is time to raise our standards of humanity, to love more, to empathize more, to do good, care for the orphans, plead for the widows and advocate for justice. May we do better. May we be a compassionate Humanity!  

With love always!