After an
officer-involved shooting in Charlotte in the US left 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott dead,
another photo of people "taking a knee" began to circulate on social
media. These people weren't on their knees in protest, however. They were on
their knees in prayer, according to a report in ijr.com. The photo, originally
posted by the North Carolina Troopers Association, was shared nearly 100,000
times in less than 24 hours and included the following caption: "North
Carolina State Troopers having a word of fellowship and prayer before being
deployed on the streets of Charlotte. Please keep them in your thoughts and
prayers as they work to protect us and help the city rebuild." And the
troopers weren't alone. There were a number of people who took a knee in the
streets, filling the gap between protesters and police. The Rapid Response Team
from Billy Graham's ministry joined them in prayer.Folks at a prayer meeting in
Memphis took a knee to pray for their North Carolinian neighbors. In the midst
of all the unrest, the protesting, and the continued violence, the message many
Americans are sending the protesters is that rebuilding fractured communities,
for them, begins with prayer. Preacher Franklin Graham said on his FB: “There’s been a lot of talk in the media
lately about sports figures taking a knee in protest. I’m encouraged to see
people taking a knee, not in protest, but in prayer. These NC State Troopers
are kneeling in prayer before going in to do their jobs in the riots and
demonstrations in Charlotte. Prayer does make a difference. God’s Word tells
us, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth”
(Psalm 145:18). I’m thankful for the men and women trying to bring order and an
end to the violence and unrest.”