I’ve been quiet here of late because, frankly, I have not known what to say. A response to this year’s crises seems as though it needs to be said, and yet, as a Christian, I’m at a loss. Words—at least my words—are not wise enough or good enough to offer much to those who are reeling from so much despair.
So I’ve been pondering and listening and I plan to do more of that in days to come. I think COVID has made the injustice of the racial divide hotter and angrier than it might have been. Most people were already hurting and angry. Add to that anger the horrible injustices carried out against several black men in recent weeks. The latest sparking the riots. I cannot imagine there is anyone who was not horrified by what happened to Mr. George Floyd.
As I’ve thought about all that we are facing, I’m struggling to understand what is truth. The truth gets skewed in the abundance of sound bites and short social media feeds and news casts that tend to show the most graphic and attention-grabbing parts of it all. And I want to step back and listen because I need to understand. I mean I get why people want power. There is within us all a desire to dominate something. When we want to dominate other people, that’s where we are wrong. Only God gets to judge the actions of our brother or sister, our neighbor, our friend. Only God sees the true picture.
This is becoming clearer to me as I’m studying the life of Joseph. His life was one of much heartache and betrayal and misery. And as I do with every book, I try to imagine what he went through. How it came about. What caused such hatred among his brothers? How did Joseph feel? How did his faith sustain him? Did he ever lose hope? What motivated him to not give up? I try to walk for a while in their shoes, so to speak.
And yet, I wonder…how often have I ever put myself in the shoes of my culturally different neighbors? What if I could walk in their skin for a day? A week? Would I understand then?
I never had to warn my sons how to act if they were stopped by the police. It never even occurred to me that such a thing could happen in the city in which we live. And the only time the police encountered our boys was during a traffic accident. They had no fear of being pulled over because of the color of their skin. How does that feel as a mother to have to have that conversation on exactly how to behave lest they be misunderstood with her sons? Or daughters?
I also wonder how each race views God. I mean, if you stop and think about it, I’d bet we all see Jesus the same color that we are. If you look at European artists’ renditions of God and Adam, both are white. Most paintings from those cultures show Mary and Jesus as white. But was He?
My neighbors come in a variety of colors. Some are European. Some are African Americans. Some are Syrian. Some Albanian. Some from Iraq. Some from Asia. Some from India. Many were not born here. Others were. Those from more Middle Eastern countries are not white. They are brown skinned. Our block is multicultural and multi religions. Catholics and a few Muslims make up much of the neighborhood.
How do they see God?
I loved Billy Graham’s answer to this question many years ago. He said that Jesus was not black or white. (He lived during the time of the Civil Rights Movement and showed his support of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) His answer to what color was Jesus was brown.
And if you go to Israel today and meet Israeli or Arab peoples in that region, they are not going to be as lily white (with freckles) as I am. Jesus was Jewish and likely Jesus was brown. I’m sorry if that offends anyone, but I think it’s perfect. A blend of racial colors, which He Himself created. We are all made in God’s image.
If God made us different, and He died for and loves each one of us, why do we ever sit in judgment of another because of the color of our skin? One day there will be people who stand before God’s throne in worship and they will look like my neighborhood and more. They will come from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. The common denominator we will share? A realization that we all need Jesus. That we are all recipients of His grace. That we do not deserve to be in His presence, but that He made a way for all, by His cross, for us to come.
This is the real message of unity and the only cure for the things that divide us. The cross puts all of us on a level plane before the only Savior.
I still need to learn, to listen and understand my racially different neighbors. I want to understand their plight. I want to see injustice end. I do mourn with those who mourn and stand in support of those who fear and grieve and wonder if life will ever feel safe for them.
I want to see righteousness rule in this world, but I also know that only God is truly righteous. I will never have the answers or the power to fix this broken world. Only Jesus has that power. Only Jesus has that right. He already stood in our place and took on our brokenness. And offered us amazing grace in return.
The gospel is the main thing that needs to stay the main thing. But as a Christian, I will still speak up for those whose voice is trying to be silenced. Or whose actions are being hijacked by people seeking to cause harm. Violence begets violence and it is not the answer. Polarizing opinions are also not going to fix our problems. Our problems are truly bigger than any human can possibly fix.
We do wait for a new kingdom and serve King Jesus. But that doesn’t mean we extract ourselves from a hurting world. Our world needs a listening ear, not a spouted opposing opinion that is based in experience and does not have the whole story. How can we? We can’t know the whole truth because the whole truth is not given to us. God alone knows what is going on in every corner of this world. We need Him whether we realize it or not.
May His grace shine upon you and His love flow from those who trust Him to those who don’t know Him yet. No matter what color we are. “Love your neighbor as yourself” is still the best grace response we can give.
#livegrace #lovetruth #graceisgreater #godsloveisforeveryone #godiscolorblind #madeinhisimage #jesusistruth #livetruth
