What Does God want Us to Do About Racism
Are you struggling to understand? As I sit with my laptop in my lap, my heart hurts and I struggle to find words. How can we understand something we never want to understand?
If you are white like me, how could we understand the impact of racism? We may have been criticized, we may have been judged, but we have never been hated or attacked simply for the color of our skin. We have never feared others questioning the intent of our sons or spouses simply because of the way they look. Why would we understand? However, we know enough to be appalled, to be heartbroken and to be grieved by this tragedy.
We must speak up! This is NOT okay! What does God what us to do about racism? The word us is referring to us believers - those of us who profess to love God and love people; those of us who read our Bible and say we want to do what Jesus would do; those of us who call ourselves Christians. What does God want us to do?
What does God want me and you to do about the evil known as racism?
1. God wants us to understand there is only one race – the human race. One race made up of different ethnicities. We are all equally created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26-27) No one is better than another. For God so loved the world (every member of the human race) that He sent Jesus to lay down His life for us all. (John 3:16)
2. God wants us to recognize and repent the racism within us. Before we declare that we are not a racist – we should pause and ask God to reveal any and every bit of racism that lies within us. God shows no partiality, and neither should we. (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:9)
3. God wants us to love one another as He loves us. (John 13:34) Not only are we to be impartial, but Philippians 2:3 tells us to esteem others better than ourselves - not to think we are better than others. The Bible also tells us if we do not love one another, then we do not know God. (1 John 4:8)
4. God wants us to do better. God expects us to do better and to inspire others to do better! Most of us have been exposed to subtle forms of racism and we, too, may ignorantly make distinctions. We must stop. Do you feel the need to add descriptive words like the black lady, my Mexican friend, the Asian doctor? It should be the lady, my friend, and the doctor. Do we contribute to division or do we contribute to unity? (James 2:4)
5. God wants us to forgive one another. Whether we are the one judging or the one who has been judged, God wants us to forgive and to be kind and compassionate to each other. (Ephesians 4:32)
6. God wants us to be one in Christ - one – one race – united. (Galatians 3:28)
Today – let’s grieve. Let’s talk about this to our children and our grandchildren. Let’s repent, forgive and simply choose to love one another. Let’s pray! Let’s pray for the family of Ahmaud Arbery, let’s pray for unity of the human race and let’s pray that God will use us to shine light in the the darkness. Let’s walk as children of light.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5:8-11
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