Chadwick Boseman: A Lamp That Burned
Like everyone else, when I read that Chadwick Boseman had passed away, I was in great disbelief. I immediately began an internet search to see if what I had read was some sort of fake news hoax. Sadly, it was not a hoax. It was a devastating truth: Chadwick Boseman had left us. He had left his wife, his mother and father, his family, friends and devoted fans - transitioned to Heaven - and the place that he once occupied on the earth was no more.
In the days and weeks following Chad’s death I tried to process this deeply sad reality. I didn’t even know him personally, and yet, I would wake up in the middle of the night weeping over the fact that he was gone. Gone! He was here in so much glory and power for what seemed like only a brief moment, and then he was not. It seemed too sudden, way too soon.
We, of the Black and Brown community, did not think he was done impacting our lives so profoundly. I believe this was one of the main reasons why we all took his death so hard. He had given us, Message from The King, Get On Up, 42, Black Panther, Marshall, and Da 5 Bloods, to name a few. How was it possible that he could be done already?! I mulled this question over and over in my head. It seemed to us that his momentum was picking up. But that it should be completely stopped, was bewildering. Shocking. Indeed, his passing left us all in a state of severe shock, and unfathomable grief.
Statements given by those who worked closely with him and who knew him the most, spoke of him as a highly spiritual man, a man who professed Christ, a kind and gentle soul, a humble man who walked in his integrity. Of his profession as an actor, his coworkers spoke highly of his commitment to perfecting his craft, and we all can attest to the impeccable quality of his work. Why was he taken so soon? The question we have all asked ourselves, each other, and God.
It wasn’t until I tweeted a few days ago, “Chadwick Boseman your light is still burning. Leaders lead! We see you. Thank you!” that Holy Spirit began to give me deeper insight into the life and sudden death of this beautiful soul. I posted that tweet in the afternoon. That evening, as I sat with God, He immediately directed me to John 5:35-44:
John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
I quickly became aware of how Holy Spirit could use the death of Chadwick to point us back to Yeshua, The Christ – the True Light, and to The Most High God – the One in Whose image we have all been made.
With the release of Black Panther, many Black and Brown people experienced a sort of mental, physical, spiritual, and even physical elevation of themselves and of their community. There was individual and collective pride in seeing such powerful, positive images of ourselves projected on this enormous screen for the world to see. Black Panther made us feel strong, empowered and capable. We wanted to believe that the cultural atmosphere was shifting for the better for us as a people who have been maligned, denigrated, despised, robbed, denied, brutalized and never accepted as full human beings worthy of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We have watched our people endure so much loathing, and have seen so many of our Black and Brown leaders assassinated, literally, that, in a great sense, and as ludicrous as it might seem, many of us were willing to make a Marvel character our leader. We were ready and willing to find identity in the Black Panther. He gave us hope. He gave our Black and Brown children a positive image of themselves to look up to, and underneath the costume that brought all of this to Black and Brown lives was one like us - Mr. Chadwick Boseman. In a very real sense, we had placed our faith in him, in weak, frail human flesh. The Word of God warns us that are not to put our confidence in man (Ps. 146).
Prior to Chadwick’s passing, we were already enduring the painful repercussions of Covid-19, and its severe impact on the Black and Brown communities. On top of that, our people were being viciously murdered by White Supremacists cops on a daily basis, all under the winking eye of a corrupt and racist government. With all of these factors taken into consideration, the timing of Chadwick’s passing seemed to have been premature. The struggle of Black and Brown people was not over when the Black Panther star died. He had more work to do for our people, for our image – or so we thought.
As I sat before God the night of His response to my tweet, I heard Him speak through His Word to me: I gave you Chadwick Boseman, and the world enjoyed his gifts and talents for a short season, but I did not give him to you to idolize, or as someone in whom you would find your identity.
Chadwick did such an amazing job in the various roles he embodied that we all fully bought into whatever message his character was trying to get across to us – especially in his portrayal of the Black Panther. The Christ came to us with a far weightier message than that of Chadwick, and 2,000 years later, many still do not believe His message from The Father that leads us to eternal life – the same place where Chadwick now resides.
Holy Spirit reminded me that we have been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and that our lives and identities are hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), and this identity should be enough.
He has warned us to have no other gods before Him (Ex. 20:2). So many have been very quick to hail Chadwick Boseman as “King,” but have yet to acknowledge Yeshua as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is an abomination to The Most High God. We must be very careful, and repent if we have exalted the name of a good man over the name of the God-Man – Yeshua.
Certainly, in losing Chadwick Boseman, the world lost a wonderful, beautiful soul; a talented, gifted actor; a young man whose life and legacy impacted countless lives for good, and we have rightfully mourned that loss. But he was only a man, as we are, made of dust – and not God. All the days of his life were numbered form the beginning of time, as are ours. The Most High God is still very much alive! Let us remember, as followers of Christ, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. If Chadwick had placed his faith in Yeshua, as many testify that he did, then we will see him again when we transition from this life into eternity.
Mr. Boseman was a lamp that burned and brought us joy for a short time, but we must allow his light to point us to the True and Eternal Light, by pointing our own finger out towards Yeshua and not failing to exclaim, as did John the Baptist when he saw Yeshua coming toward him, “Look! The True Light! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
