George Floyd vs. George Liele

 

Drive around town or walk the streets of any major US city today and you’ll probably see a mural or statue honoring George Floyd, who was tragically killed in May 2020 by Minneapolis Police. The priesthood of BLM and the woke culture have basically sainted Mr. Floyd as a civil rights martyr on par with MLK. Don’t get me wrong, what happened to Mr. Floyd was heartbreaking and criminal. I’m not diminishing the circumstances surrounding his death at all. Mr. Floyd deserved justice, just like any human being made in the image of God.  

But, many black voices - like Candice Owens - have raised the point that Mr. Floyd is not a great role model to emulate. Owens has said, “Floyd didn’t deserve to die, but its WRONG that he’s being hailed as some kind of saint.” She has gone public several times describing Mr. Floyd as a “career criminal” who’s record included charges of aggravated robbery, theft, criminal trespassing, and drug-related arrests. Floyd’s violent criminal past once saw him break into a pregnant woman’s home and point a loaded gun at her unborn child as he demanded money and drugs from her.

Owens summed up her position saying, “Black Americans are unique in that we are the only people that fight and scream and demand support and justice for the people in our community who are up to no good.” [1] I think Owens makes a valid argument. What exactly did Mr. Floyd do to advance “social justice”? What major contribution did he make to the human race? For her comments, the left-leaning media have branded Owens a “white supremacist.”   

I am reminded of what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 8:10, “Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.” So, the George Floyd situation is “nothing new under the sun.”  

Against George Floyd, allow me to present another black man named George Liele. One of the most significant figures in the history of Christian missions is a freed Georgia slave named George Liele. Even though William Carey may be called the father of the modern missionary movement, George Liele left America and planted the gospel in Jamaica a full ten years before Carey left England.

George Liele came to Christ in 1773, at the age of twenty-three, and was baptized by his white pastor, Matthew Moore. Sometime after Liele’s conversion, his owner, Henry Sharp, who was a Baptist deacon, gave Liele his freedom so he could pursue God’s call. Liele preached for two years in the slave quarters of plantations surrounding Savannah and into South Carolina after his conversion.

Because of his faithfulness and powerful preaching of the Word, many surrendered their lives to Christ. George Liele was ordained on May 20, 1775, becoming the first ordained African American Baptist preacher in America. After his ordination, he planted the first African American Baptist Church in North America, a church still in existence today.

Soon after his release, Moses Kirkland, a colonel of the British army, befriended Liele and helped him leave the country. Kirkland helped pay for Liele’s trip to Jamaica, and after two years Liele paid this debt and obtained a certificate of freedom for himself and his family. George and his wife, Hannah, and their four children left Savannah and landed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1782.

When Liele landed in Jamaica it was a British colony. There, Liele found land and a people who needed a missionary. Slaves were brought from Africa to Jamaica to work on the sugar plantations. These men and women had no real knowledge of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Liele planted a church and held a baptism service every three months. These baptisms were public events in which professing converts were baptized in a nearby ocean or river.

The work of the church and the public baptisms caused persecution. Eventually, Liele was charged with preaching sedition and was thrown into prison. He was later acquitted of these charges. Despite facing these hostilities, during the eight years of preaching, he was able to baptize five hundred people and establish a strong church.

Not only did Liele’s ministry lead to a spiritual impact on the island, but his work also made a social difference for the Jamaican slaves. By July 31, 1838, slavery was eradicated in Jamaica.

In 1814, there were only about eight thousand Baptists in Jamaica. This number included slaves, freedmen, and some whites. However, as a result of Liele’s ministry, by 1832 there were over twenty thousand believers.

George Liele died in 1828. He may have begun life as a slave, but he lived as a free man in Christ. He left a rich legacy of thousands who were transformed by the good news of Jesus.[2]

What a sign of the times – that our woke culture venerates George Floyd more than they do a real hero like George Liele. Mr. Liele is a shining example of Galatians 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Don’t believe the cultural narrative of victimhood. History is filled with remarkable examples like Mr. Liele of how the Gospel allowed people of all background to rise from adversity, racism and poverty to accomplish great things. -DM

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[1] Jason O’Toole, “George Floyd didn’t deserve to die, but it’s WRONG that he’s being hailed as some sort of saint,” RT, 8 June 2020 <https://www.rt.com/op-ed/491203-candace-owens-george-floyd-being-hailed-as-saint/>

[2] Lesley Hildreth, “Missionaries You Should Know: George Liele,” International Missions Board, 26 June 2018 <https://www.imb.org/2018/06/26/missionaries-you-should-know-george-liele/>