Racial Reconciliation

I am witnessing one of the most momentous times in our society I can remember. I lived through the Civil Rights era, the Vietnam war, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the protests that were a part of those events. But what is happening now feels different. There is a solidarity that was missing in the past. There is also considerably less violence.

Yes, there was some looting, but the few people who do that are not the change agents who are peacefully protesting under their first amendment rights. Rioting hasn’t been widespread either. Not like I remember in the 60s. It has been subdued. And those who lost control are the most disenfranchised, whose voices have been ignored for so long they exploded in the face of resistance from authority. No, the majority is an amazing mix of races and ethnic groups, male and female, adults, teens and children. All marching together to say they want change to come at last.

There has been a widespread groundswell of response from all sectors of society, government, and business. Statues are toppling, some forcibly, some by policy makers in recognition the people are speaking. I heard it said if a person kidnapped your child and sold them, where would you want the statue of that person placed? Cuts to the heart of it. From a purely constitutional standpoint, the Confederates were traitors who actively turned on and killed fellow citizens in order to keep slaves. States rights was central to keeping slaves. Nothing glorious about that.

Some white people are already saying it’s too much. They aren’t racist so they shouldn’t have to listen this much. But true reconciliation cannot happen without hearing the whole truth and admitting our complicity in systemic racism even if we personally never acted ill toward people of color. There can be no reconciliation without sacrifice. Jesus demonstrated this. We can’t deny our complicity in his death.

This principle applies to the heritage of our black brothers and sisters, whose ancestors built much of American for free and not because they volunteered to. Those whose ancestors were routinely terrorized as they tried to build lives for themselves after they were freed. And in our times, we now incarcerate blacks fourteen times more often than their white counterparts. Walking or driving while black presents a whole set of issues unless you stay in your part of town.

I used to say I’m colorblind, but now I realize how mistaken that is. God made us different colors because it pleased him. He isn’t colorblind. To say we don’t see our differences is to devalue a nonwhite person’s culture and heritage. To recognize and appreciate our differences makes it possible to learn from one another. Yes, we are all children of God, regardless of our skin color, but rejoice in God’s creational purposes.

Seeing blatant racism is easy. But it's much harder to admit we have lived with white privilege for so long that we truly are not anti-racist. That means being intentional in listening and recognizing if you are having a knee-jerk reaction or want to argue why African Americans are asking too much. No. No they aren’t and if you think they are, you need to take your thoughts and heart before Jesus in abject recognition you are a part of the problem.

Be a changemaker. Be a peacemaker. Draw the circle larger to include more than those in your neighborhood and church. Love justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.