Although Will Smith has been in our living room countless times, I have never met him. He is a good actor and from what I have read, he seems to be a good person.
The 94th Academy Awards will forever be known as the slap that was heard around the world. Will Smith had zero tolerance from comedian Chris Rock's bad joke he made about his wife's hair...or, lack thereof. After Chris Rock made the GI Jane joke, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped the comedian.
The world took notice of the slap. Many defended Will Smith and slammed the comedian for his joke, while others defended the comedian and torched the uncontrolled behavior of the actor. Many were calling for Smith to be stripped of his Oscar, while others were demonizing Chris Rock for his insensitivity.
Personally, both the actor and the comedian were wrong. Joking about someone's medical condition on a world stage lacks commonsense and tenderness. Assaulting a person over something they said lacks self-control.
Both men made a mistake. Will Smith and Chris Rock both need grace. It is true that consequences follow after a wrong is done, but is doesn't rise to the level of holding someone hostage for a slap to the face or a joke about someone's hair. Replaying the "crime" over and over will only incite people and it infuriates each side so much so that no one can move on and find the redemption and the forgiveness each man needs and seeks.
It's possible that all of us have done something in the moment we regret or said something that we wish we could take back. No one is perfect and all of us need forgiveness. We need to be loved even when we do wrong and hurt others. We need people to pray over us and to guide us when we have lost control or hurt someone's feelings. We need to know that our friends will not abandon us when we make a mistake and seek to make the wrong right. We need tenderness and kindness and mercy. We need truth to be spoken when a wrong is commitment. We need grace...lots of grace.
Chris Rock and Will Smith need to be treated like Ephesians 4:32, "...be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ." If our media commentators would focus on 4:32, our world would be a better place to live.
Will Smith and Chris Rock need to sit at the dinner table and work out their issues. We need to love and be gracious to both of them.
Remember, Be God Controlled!