Remember That Time Jesus Essentially Said, “Not Today Satan”?

Matthew 4 reminds us of the time Jesus was tested by the devil himself. The devil tried to get Jesus caught up, promising Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus agreed to follow him. 

Jesus refused the devil saying, “Get away from me, Satan! It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God.’ He is the only one you should serve.”

Like Jesus, our enslaved ancestors knew how to spot the devil. And they too, refused. 

Our refusal is a forceful boundary wrapped in a political act. Often we’re shamed for our refusal by being described as difficult, rude, or violent. 

In "We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance,” Kellie Carter Jackson writes: “Resistance is how one responds to white supremacy; refusal is why.”

Our refusal is sacred. Our refusal to accept the oppressive systems of today is an invitation to reimagine and co-create new possibilities that center our liberation. 

Saying “Not today Satan” makes room for, “Yes God, every day.”  The possibilities become endless when we refuse to limit our imaginations to what’s possible just because we haven’t seen it before. 

What liberated future can we begin creating today?