Originally posted on June 8, 2020
I cannot continue writing about being an American Christian without discussing the current racial situation. I grew up in the South, specifically in Georgia and South Carolina. I grew up white. I had friends. I did not have white friends or black friends. I only had friends. If the places I lived would have had more Hispanic representation, I would have had friends there, too.
I also grew up as a preacher’s son. No church I attended ever taught that Jesus was white. The pictures that we saw showed a white Jesus, but we all knew he was brown. The Bible that I read, whichever version I read, spoke of the Kingdom of God having no division. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him” (Romans 10:12 NKJV). Again, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all” (Colossians 3:10-11). “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
If Jesus, who remains the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), has said that we are one in Him, and He is the Creator of the world that we all currently inhabit, how can we treat each other according to such a man-made standard as skin color?
To be fair, skin color is not the only label we put on other people. We are too quick to judge someone we met just a few moments before. They are this affiliation, this level of wealth or poverty, this lifestyle, this persuasion, or whatever convenient label we find first. “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b).
Therefore, if the Church is the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18), and the Head of that body–Jesus–does not view the outward appearance of people, why do we? Furthermore, why do we look the other way when others do, especially when that outward judgment leads to sinful actions?
We have seen the #MeToo movement bring awareness to the sinful behavior of powerful men against powerless women. We are now seeing the #BlackLivesMatter protests raising awareness to the impact such judgment has brought against powerless black individuals. Moreover, such judgment has brought mistrust of the very institutions that are set up to protect against such judgment. These protests, though, cannot be used as a cover for crime and violence against innocents. Theft and assault are sins of their own. To a holy God, they are just as heinous as murder.
The Church in the United States–Catholics and Protestants–counts among its followers over half of the population. Imagine the change that could be brought about if we acted like the Church. As the Church, we need to see people as God sees them. We should treat them as God would treat them–without favoritism; without cynicism; with mercy. We should aid those who are oppressed. “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
Rise up, Church! Take your place, standing with the powerless, as God did with you!
darrellzwriting 