What My Faith Says About Race
I try extremely hard to take every one of my questions, doubts and confusion to the source of all my life answers- my faith. Often it’s not that there are simple answers to my questions like Google seems to offer. I can’t just type in, “God, what do you think about these crazy days we find ourselves in? And how do we fix it?” Then expect a quick spinning wheel while the search engine finds all the possible answers.
Instead, the Bible is a book that is meant to be absorbed over years, as you develop your relationship with the Author. But the answers are there in the richness of the pages. They come through the principled truths woven throughout every page. So it is there that I look for God’s view of race, our relationships, conduct, and understanding.
When I was a little girl, I would sit out in the backyard of my little pink house in Indiana (yes, John Cougar Mellencamp knew Indiana well when he wrote that song) and wonder why I was who I was. Even at 8 years of age my mind went down its own path. I wondered why I wasn’t born in China as a little Asian girl, or a little African girl who grew up near those great animals.
Why wasn’t I a pale little Norwegian child bundled in winter clothes 8 months out of the year or the Mexican girl who lived in our neighborhood and had the prettiest brown eyes I ever saw – I really wanted those. I still don’t have an answer to those questions, but what I have learned is each and every one of those little girls that traipsed through my imagination are a wonderful creation of God’s magnificent heart. Treasured just as greatly as this little white Indiana girl lying in the grass watching the clouds drift by.
What I also have learned is what He thinks of us, all of us.
Every one of us is created in God’s image, made to fulfill the same job of caring for the earth He created using our individual talents and abilities. He holds no favoritism or distinction between us. “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.’ So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27
He values us equally. “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
He expects us to love as He loves us. “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35
He wants us to prod each other to conduct that will demonstrate His compassion, to be a living example of His care for all. “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24
He will walk alongside each of us until we find the answers and overcome our difficulties. “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Finally, we need to remember that when this earth ends and pain is no more we will all stand shoulder to shoulder. No distinction between us, simply grateful to the God who made us, the Savior who died for us, the Comforter who walked with us in this life journey. We will be looking not to one another but to the God who healed all of our hearts. “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.” Revelation 7:9
So I embrace these truths of my faith and look to the grown up ladies, the pale Scandinavian, the dark skin African, the brown skin Mexican and the yellow tone Asian ladies who share my faith to join me. Let us prod one another to compassion. Let us press on toward understanding one another and let us recognize that in the only eyes that matter, our God, we are truly equal.
You’ll love this podcast episode from This Grit and Grace Life: How We Can Stand With the Black Community With Dr. Zoe Shaw – 136!
