Listening, Learning, Acknowledging: Having the Gospel shape our view of racism

This week’s topic is a difficult one, and I submit my words with humility hoping to bring a biblical lens to a heated discussion.

Racism is alive in America.

As a nation, we are reeling from the aftershock of last week’s shootings. Anton, Philandro and the Dallas policemen were gunned down. What do we feel about this? What are we going to do?

Our responses to these tragic events vary. If we sat down together to discuss this, there are so many directions this topic could take, and most of those directions are unhelpful. As a youth pastor and blogger I am always tempted to voice my opinion right away. I want to provide help to people as they process. But I have to be careful, and so I wait.

Too many respond quickly. In our social media age, people express their opinion without all the facts. They react. They put videos, images and # without considering the consequences of their actions. Even now, for instance, Isaiah Crowell is under fire in Cleveland for putting an obscene picture of a hooded man holding a knife to a police officer’s throat. That was a stupid move.

There is the “#blacklivesmatter” post and then someone quickly posts “no #alllivesmatter” response. People are posting left and right, but most people are not listening. Most people don’t hear what’s really going on.

And so I waited.

Now it’s time for youth group and I believe that we must engage the conversation in our churches, with the Gospel at the center of the discussion. We must find a place that is safe to think out loud, to discover other’s perspective and to learn from God how we are to process tragedy, racism and our own sinfulness.

I do not claim to be an expert in this topic. Far from it. This week I’ve listened to others. I’ve read blogs. I’ve watched videos. Some were helpful. Some angered me. Some revealed my own ignorance, prejudices and cowardice. What I realize is that, in order to understand what’s going on, we have to understand each other’s story. We don’t arrive at our stance today without years of indoctrination and influence: some of it intended, some implied and others just picked up.

We can learn a lot from listening. One thing I’ve learned, if I can express it, is that not engaging the conversation about racism, dismissing it, is a form of racism. To blindly say, “racism doesn’t exist today” is an ignorant statement, one made from a sheltered existence.

Learning that an #alllivesmatter response to #blacklivesmatter can be hurtful. All lives do matter, that is supposed to be a given. For some #blacklivesmatter is a cry about a felt injustice. It’s a person crying out saying, “Hey I’m hurting, this isn’t right.” Instead of dismissing it, we need to identify with the hurting and help bring reconciliation to it. However, there are then those who use the #blacklivesmatter to then push their hateful agenda and they give a bad name to those who are honestly trying to fight injustice.

Learning that there is a need for intentional dialogue with other ethnic groups to understand our differences and celebrate them, not demonize them. We become so impatient with the unknown, the unfamiliar, and the different that we belittle it and make it into something to divide over. We have caused a form of tribalism to exist in America, in our communities, where we want to “protect our own” at the expense of the others.

Learning that some in our culture do have a different experience then you allows you to become more sensitive to the issues. Some have more access to resources that allows them to escape poverty, while others are deprived of it. Some worry every time the get behind the wheel of a car that they may get pulled over for their skin color, while others would never even consider that a possibility. Some find the sight of the police as a security blanket, while others only experience of the police was having their parents taken away from them as a child and so they fear them.

My experience is not theirs. My experience influences my outlook and perspective. I have blind spots to some racial issues. I will only know that I have blind spots when I listen to those who have a different experience. Their experience will broaden my perspective, as mine broadens theirs. Together we see a clearer picture of reality.

Most importantly, we need to the perspective of the Gospel infused into our lives and experiences. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says,

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:25-28 ESV)

As Christians, we should not see labels, stereotypes or skin color. We see brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one family. Our efforts should be welcoming with open arms to all tribes, nations and colors.

I am so thankful for my story. When I think of how the Gospel has transformed my story when it comes to racial issues, I am so very grateful. From what I understand, my great grandfather may have been a part of the KKK. His son, my grandfather, was not fond of other colors. My parents received Christ in their 20’s and the Gospel changed their perspective of race. My parents raised my brother and sisters and I to see people as image bearers of God, not at different colors.

As a child, my parents welcomed my friends of different ethnic backgrounds. We served in several different cultural ministries, partnering with a Chinese church and a Black church. My first invitation to be a youth pastor was at a Black church, yet I felt I was too young at the time. My parents hosted brothers and sisters from Africa in our home several times.

I was given a rich, Gospel centered perspective on racial issues from my family. What my parents have begun, I’ve taken farther in my perspective. Continually moving from seeing our differences toward seeing our commonality. We are one race. As one race, we have a bouquet of beautiful colors that makes a wonderful masterpiece.

Will we ever learn to celebrate this? Can we influence our culture to bring healing and hope? As a church, can we help every tribe and nation feel welcomed?

I don’t have all the answers, but I know God does. I know God wants us to love others, to love those who are different then us, and to build bridges of healing. Let’s join the conversation, throw off our cowardice, our prejudices and our stereotypes and fight for reconciliation.

Let’s repent of our sins, our ignorance and prejudices and ask God to make us agents of the Gospel to all tribes, nations and colors.