(Photo Personalliberty.com)
Anyone paying attention to what's going on in America knows that the land I call home has become a powder keg as of late. Following what are being deemed "controversial" court rulings involving high profile cases, protesters have taken over our streets in countless cities to voice their outrage. In both cases, African American men were killed by Caucasian police officers during attempted arrests.
There are some Americans who are angry because they think there is a war on the black population of our country, that they are the target of unfair policing practices.
There are some Americans who are angry because they think police officers have been unfairly vilanized by the media and even our leaders.
Yes, I have my opinions on what the outcome should have been in each case.
No, I'm not going to share my opinion because it doesn't matter.
What does matter is that these incidents have proven in one way or another that we do not live in a post-racism society. Whether these incidents were racially motivated or not, the fallout has proven that there is enough of a perception of racism to paralyze our nation.
Most disheartening to me in the last few weeks has been the response of some claiming to speak for the religious community. Watching "ministers" call for deepening the racial divide is painful when we should be calling for deeper unity among believers in these difficult times.
Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. After all, we have long known that the most segregated time in America is Sunday morning. We identify our houses of worship by the races that make up the congregations. If I were to use the labels "white church" or "black church" we would all have it in our minds what that means. We have convinced ourselves that this segregation is okay because it is giving people what they want based on their culture. But the truth is that religion has long been a central connector for community and culture and the longer we stay separated the more we will drift.
When religious leaders are seen calling not only for further segregation and distrust but for physical vengeance against what they deem a "racist society" they are actually calling for their followers to live in defiance of the prayer Christ prayed for all believers in John 17,
"I pray also for those who will believe in me through [the disciples'] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (v.20-23 NIV)
These were some of the last wishes uttered by Jesus before His arrest. In those moments before the ultimate unjust apprehension, Christ prayed that we would live in unity so that the world would believe in Him. So regardless of what race we are and what injustice we are claiming, if we are a Christian and our words are not calls for unity, then they should fall silent.
We, as children of God, cannot view the events around us as those who are godless, and we certainly can't react as they do. Colossians 3 offers a stern command,
"Now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (v.8-14 NIV)
We are one body, purchased by the blood of Jesus. Christ gave His life for us to live in unity and for anyone to encourage us to separate over something as silly as the pigment of our skin is to disrespect that sacrifice.
If our words call for division, they are wrong. If our words demean our brother or sister based on their race or ethnicity, they should not be uttered.
May God use men and women to call for the unity He demands of us. May the Church bind together to bring hope and healing to our communities and nation. May we see one another as Christ does, as one body, devoid of color.
"So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:26-29
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