God cares about racism. As Christ’s followers, we should care.
Our country has been confronted and forced to deal with the reality that prejudice, inequality, and racism still exist in 2020. As emotionally draining as it might be, we cannot simply go back to “normal,” because if normalcy includes injustice and oppression then we as God’s Church should desire something better--a community in which ALL people can flourish.
We know that every person has equal value in God’s sight. Yet, in our sin, humans have created inequalities and divisions where none were intended. A few examples of well-known Biblical stories that many people believe demonstrate God’s opposition to racism include: Moses’s wife (and Miriam’s reaction), Ruth the Moabite becoming part of Jesus’s lineage, Jonah sent to Ninevah, Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, Paul condemning Peter’s discrimination in Galatians, Peter and Cornelius in Acts.
We are given the call to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8). We must persevere in actively doing good, showing compassion, and seeking justice for our brothers and sisters of color. True peace and true unity in Christ is one in which the entire body of Christ, with all of it’s beauty and diversity, is thriving and flourishing as image-bearers of the God who created us. Instead of being colorblind, let’s value, celebrate, and honor our ethnic and cultural diversity.
So, what are we supposed to do? How do we move forward?
LAMENT AND REPENT
Think about the recent tragic deaths of Black men and women, including George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. Watch the videos. Mourn with the black community.
Repent of the biases, prejudices, and racism in our own hearts. If you don’t think you are guilty of any of those, ask God to reveal any hidden sin. Confess not only to God but also to any one whom you have sinned against in this area. I’ve had to ask friends to forgive me for careless or ignorant words. Repent for the past and current sins of our nation--slavery, segregation, intentional oppression and creation of unequal systems (including the justice and education systems). Repent for the role God’s Church has played to perpetuate these injustices, even inaccurately using Scripture to condone slavery, racism, and segregation. Repent for inaction, apathy, and selfishness.
LISTEN AND EMPATHIZE
We should all be willing to listen to people who are different from us--those who look different and have different beliefs. Listening to others doesn’t mean you have to agree on everything...but we should listen to seek understanding. I would never believe someone loved me if they weren’t (at minimum) listening to me. Start taking steps to become educated about the history of slavery, Juneteenth, Jim Crow laws, housing inequity like redlining, the persistence of implicit biases against Black people. (See links on these in Part 2 of this post.)
LOVE AND SACRIFICE
Love is an action. It is shown and spoken. To love our Black brothers and sisters, we should first speak love. Denounce racism. Silence can be and is often mistaken as complicity. Believe personal stories of injustices and racially motivated discrimination. Commit to standing for justice in your community and spheres of influence. Be willing to give up something--your comfort, reputation, money, privilege--for the betterment of the Black community.
Let’s continue working together in love and humility, as we lay down our lives for each other.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a 2 part series on How We the Church Should Respond to Racism. Part 2 will post on Friday with a slew of resources to help us educate ourselves on racism. We deeply appreciate Taylor’s leading here and thank you for learning alongside us.)
Meet the Author!
Taylor is the wife of Council Road's Groups Pastor, Micah White, and mother to Navy and Foster. She works as a PA in Oklahoma City, and is also passionate about serving and edifying the local Church. She most enjoys time with her family, but can also be found reading, teaching, making music, hand-lettering, and hosting gatherings. She loves a friendly debate and a good laugh.