Native American - one

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion, respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.  Love your life, perfect your life.  Beautify all things in your life.  Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.  Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting of passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place.  Show respect for all people and bow to none. When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the food and the joy if living.  If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.  Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.” ~Tecumseh, Shawnee

As I look at general revelation, the prophets of the Old Testament, and the new covenant through Jesus Christ I can not find a way that the Native American simply came upon a way of life so wholesome, caring, and respectful of and a good steward of all of God’s creation by accident. I certainly believe that as the American Indian progressed through life they were made aware of God (Creator) in all of the same ways that the people of the Old Testament did, through the angles of God, the Son of Man, dreams, visions, prophets all manifestations consistent with their culture and life style. When the westerners came to their land, the interlopers brought with them a version of Christian faith that had a mandate to convert or kill the indigenous populations. This was a stumbling block for the natives affecting both their own belief system and for centuries damaging the real Good News.

There is hope for all, Creator loves us all, and the Good News is still good.

“The place I stand is in the original covenant God gave to Native America. I believe with all my heart that God's revelation to Native People is second to none. God spoke to generations of Native People over centuries of our spiritual development. We need to pay attention to that voice, to be respectful of the covenant, and to be unafraid to lift up the new covenant as the fulfillment of the ancient promise made to the Native People of North America. That means not seeing Jesus as a white plastic messiah taken off the dashboard of a car and dipped in brown to make things look more Indian, but as a living Christ that arises from the Native covenant and speaks with the authority and authenticity of Native America.” ~Bishop Steven Charleston, Choctaw from “The Old Testament of Native America” http://www.mesacc.edu/~thoqh49081/amerindian/charleston.html

Let us all pray that we can step out of Creator’s way and let the Spirit of Truth work to bring peace and unity to all of God’s Church.  May the ministries to Native America and Indigenous Americans work be to undo past pain and suffering while preserving an enriching the culture of the people.