I wrote yesterday about Ruby Bridges, the 6-year-old black girl who integrated a New Orleans elementary school in 1960 while white people threatened to kill her. The reason I had discovered Ruby Bridges’ story (I don’t remember ever hearing it before) was an article by Marvin Olasky of World Magazine. He wrote:

Let me close by mentioning to you one of the best essays I’ve ever read: “The Inexplicable Prayers of Ruby Bridges,” written by Robert Coles. The essay describes a little girl who desegregated a New Orleans elementary school in 1960, walking in and out every day between federal marshals. As Coles writes about the daily greeting party of 50 or 75 adults at that school, “They called her this and they called her that. They brandished their fists. They told her she was going to die and they were going to kill her.” Ruby Bridges was a tiny heroine for going to school each day. But she was more than that, Coles found out. Told that Ruby seemed to talk to the people verbally assaulting her, Coles asked what she was saying, and Ruby replied, “I wasn’t talking to them. I was just saying a prayer for them.” “Ruby, you pray for the people there?” “Oh yes.” “Really?” “Yes.” “Why do you do that?” “Because they need praying for.” – Marvin Olasky, from a speech in 2004. https://world.wng.org/content/glorifying_god_in_the_white_house

Robert Coles writes more:

I asked Ruby about this praying. “Ruby, I’m still puzzled. I’m trying to figure out why you think you should be the one to pray for such people, given what they do to you twice a day, five days a week.” “Well,” she said, “especially it should be me.” “Why you especially?” “Because if you’re going through what they’re doing to you, you’re the one who should be praying for them.” And then she quoted to me what she had heard in church. The minister said that Jesus went through a lot of trouble and that Jesus said about the people who were causing the trouble, “Forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing.” Dr. Robert Coles, “The Inexplicable Prayers of Ruby Bridges,” in Finding God at Harvard by Kelly Monroe

In other words, a Harvard-educated physician has trouble relating to someone who actually tries to apply the scripture to everyday life, even when it’s hard.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)

Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. (1 Corinthians 8.1, NIV)

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (Romans 12.14, NIV)