The Delight of Slavery
June 27, 2010
I read recently of a 150-year-old photo found in a North Carolina attic. The photo showed a young Black child named John perched on a barrel. He was sitting beside another unidentified Black child. Both were in ragged clothes with tattered hats and bare feet. Art historians believe it is an extremely rare Civil War-era photograph of children who were either slaves at the time or recently emancipated. The photograph was accompanied by a document detailing the sale of John for $1,150. Friends, as I studied that picture I could not help but think of my own children — or any of our children at West Broad. We thank the God of heaven for liberating our people from such grievous bondage. Think about it: can you imagine your child being ripped from your bosom and sold to the owner of a faraway plantation? The thought chills the blood and brings great sorrow to the soul. But let us consider the matter, further. From a spiritual perspective, each of us was indeed a slave (Rom. 6:20). We belonged to a master (Eph. 2:2). But something happened. If we have been baptized into Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins (Rom. 6:3-4), we were purchased by another Master and began service to him (Eph. 1:13-14; Rom. 6:22). Our service to this Master will lead us to a faraway “plantation” (Heb. 11:15-16; Heb. 13:14; Phil. 3:20-21). What can we say to all this, West Broad and friends? The sale of the young boy mentioned above was brutal and horrendous; our sale to this new Master is beautiful and holy. American slavery was an evil system of pain and misery. But slavery to God through Jesus Christ is pure delight! —JLNJR (Resource: Jet Magazine, 6/28/2010, 10)
