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In 1955, 14-year old Emmitt Till was brutally murdered in Money, Mississippi, even though he had done nothing worthy of such brutality. Before that fateful summer, he lived in Chicago where he often helped his mother with household chores of cooking, laundry, and housekeeping. He once told his mother, liMa, since you have to work 12 hours a day, I’ll do the housework.” He knew the value of hard work and helping his mother. His brutal murder sparked outrage and helped fuel the civil rights era. He reminds me of our Lord. Jesus went about doing good, yet ruthless men engineered his crucifixion. We read in John CH.19, that on the cross, he paused in the midst of his physical pain to arrange his mother’s care, saying to her, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and saying to John, his disciple, “Here is your mother.” From then on John took her into his home. Emmitt Till’s death put the spotlight on social injustice, which led to certain civil rights gains for African Americans. Of course, the death of our Lord provides far greater gains, not only for African Americans, but for the whole world. All who truly claim Him as Lord foster justice in our world.
