SAMMY DAVIS JR. TRANSCENDED COLOR

I just saw a PBS documentary celebrating the fantastic talent and life of Sammy Davis, Jr. “He could do it all” and could make even his enemies laugh. However, he was both loved and hated by his own black people. He was accused of trying to be white and of being a traitor to his own people.

He treated all people the same, regardless of their color, although some of his own people thought he should adopt their bitterness towards whites for the abuse that they had received from them.

Davis had consistently suffered humiliation as a black man, but he was able to rise above it. I don’t know how he succeeded in putting the humiliation and anger behind him, but he became a glowing a model of reconciliation and forgiveness.

I didn’t always feel this way. I had been a walking time-bomb ready to murderously explode, because of the way my people had been systematically humiliated and gassed to death. Victimization was my guiding light; revenge was its goal. Instead, I became a Zionist and lived in Israel for three years without any intention to ever return.

I had been uncomfortable with Davis’ example. He had enlisted in the military to fight in Vietnam, where he had been badly mistreated by his fellow soldiers. Nevertheless, he was always supportive of them and of his nation instead of seeking the revenge, which I would have sought.

I don’t know how Davis was able to keep his head above the waters of bitterness and revenge. I couldn’t. Instead, the Lord had to burn these out of me through His Spirit and a series of painful events. Nevertheless, I hope that Davis’ example can serve as an inspiration to many.