We are both rational and emotional beings, made in the image of a Creator who reveals both perfect knowledge and perfect feeling. We cannot engage each other in our marred imago Dei with “facts don’t care about your feelings,” because feelings are part of the facts of our nature. So it is that reeling off statistics is no real answer to “black lives matter.” We must answer the left’s deception with feelings that are made even stronger in a majority, or at least effective plurality, because the feelings we invoke are reinforced by facts agreed upon now by enough people.

Michael Knowles pointed out the need for an alternate emotional narrative on his podcast this week. He pointed out that no one disagrees with the innocuous claim that “black lives matter.” As an answer to the radical left’s manipulation of this phrase and associated feelings, he tossed out “support black lives” as a conversation starter.

Yes, we do need an effective counter-narrative, organized around a simple catchphrase. What is that phrase? “All lives matter” is not the answer, as it confronts and minimizes the feelings around “black lives matter.” Yes, we are all made in the image of our Creator, and bear his image imperfectly. Yes, believers are commanded not to be partial, not to treat each other differently based on ancestry or other non-moral characteristics. And, we cannot get to “all lives matter” when there is an effective narrative that we do not really believe this because America does not treat black lives as having equal worth with white lives. Stomping our feet, huffing, rolling our eyes at this is a loser strategy.