Lonnie Walker is a professional basketball player – a guard for the San Antonio Spurs.  I have not followed his career, but I am a fan.  I am a fan of his because of something he recently did “off the court.”

On the following Sunday morning, Walker joined a large group of people who went downtown to help clean up the mess.  He helped power-wash some buildings and handed out water bottles to other workers and police officers.

“I take great pride in saying that I live in San Antonio,” Walker told the Express-News.  “I am part of this community.”

“I am just trying to be another human being playing my part,” Walker told the paper.  “I am not Lonnie Walker who plays for the Spurs.  I am not an NBA player.  I am just a regular human being trying to do what we are supposed to do, and that’s to create peace, positivity, and joy throughout everybody’s lives.”

When asked to comment on the Floyd incident, Walker chose to focus on the efforts to help clean up the city.

“We are here as a group,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you are white, black, Mexican.  We are trying to get to the end all be all, which is that world peace.  Peace, positivity, and being equal.  It all starts here.  So, spreading love is, for sure, a pinpoint for it.” *

Well done, Lonnie Walker!

There is so much “mess” in our world: racism, rioting, restlessness.  What can we do?

Let’s help clean up the mess!  Let’s do our part in reaching out to our neighbors with love and respect, without regard for the color of their skin or socioeconomic level.  Let’s engage one another, seeking to understand, appreciate, and work through our differences.  Let’s treat others the way we want to be treated; some call this the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12).  Let’s love others the way Jesus loves us: unconditionally, sacrificially, and actively.

The greatest thing we can do to help “clean up the mess” is to emulate and point others to the real Prince of peace: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Jesus is the “wall-breaker” who can tear down the walls of enmity and hate (Ephesians 2:14-15).  He is the “bridge-builder” who connects us to God and to one another through His saving grace (Ephesians 2:16).  He is the One who died on the cross so that we can have the “mess” of our sins washed from our lives (Ephesians 1:7).

God will save, give eternal life, and give His peace to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

“For He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14).  Jesus enables us to have peace with God, peace with others, and peace within ourselves – if only we will submit our lives to Him.

Won’t YOU?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “Spurs' Lonnie Walker IV helps clean up San Antonio businesses damaged during protests” by Ryan Gaydos of www.foxnews.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org