The Path of Least Resistance Part 4

December 9, 2024

​​​​​​​The Path of Least Resistance Part 4

In his best-selling book, Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson explains the ongoing plight of persons of color, the poor, and the disadvantaged. He vividly tells true stories of innocent black people who were convicted of crimes they never committed. Also, Stevenson describes his work life in the South when he, too, was accosted by and mistreated by law enforcement officers simply because of his color. 

His book is more than a description—it is a call to action. He believes that the more we target people of color without finding the facts, the more our society will suffer with suspicion, finger-pointing, scapegoating, and overcrowded prisons. He realizes this is a systemic problem that reaches beyond the southern United States. It concerns the human condition: a lack of Justice and Mercy. 

Justice and mercy are not givens. They must be worked for, valued, and nourished in the human spirit. On the other hand, the path of least resistance is easy—we give in to our prejudices and biases. We go along with them unquestioningly and pronounce them as the hallowed truth. When others trespass on those “truths,” we often withhold our mercy from them.

Children seem to know justice and mercy. I believe that children are so fresh from heaven that they are naturally connected to these soul qualities. When I was a little boy of about 8, growing up in Mobile, Alabama, something very unusual happened. Our African American maid, Mary, was crying at the ironing board one day. This was unlike Mary, so I asked why she was so upset. She explained to me that her son, who was a little younger than me, had just died. He was what we call today “mentally deficient”. He was a resident at the state facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the developmentally and intellectually disabled, then called “mentally retarded” or “feeble-minded.” 

Mary then said something that shook my 8-year-old being to the core, and I have never forgotten it. “They’re sending my baby down from Tuscaloosa on the train. We’re gonna pick him up at the L & N train station today. They are shipping him in a barrel.”

I was only an 8-year-old but I knew that there was no justice or mercy for Mary, her son, or her family, even though I did not know the complete definition of justice or mercy.

Children know when something is wrong; very wrong. But society can often take the path of least resistance and become complicit with wrongs. Thankfully, some listen to the soul child within. Groundbreakers like Bryan Stevenson open doors for the oppressed and misjudged. He brings to light what was in the shadows. He brings consciousness to ignorance and hatred. 

Spiritual practice: If you have not already, read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. What stories from your own life do they elicit? 

Self-inquiry: Have you ever been the recipient of mercy? If so, what was your response? 

Dear God,

I will never forget Mary. I was a child in an oppressive culture, and I didn’t know it, but on some level, I did know it. Thank you for your son, Bryan, who reminds me that our culture is still oppressive. Amen