I live in a town that is predominately white in ethnicity. Fortunately due to an influx of population that percentage is becoming more diverse. Why fortunately, you may ask? Well, if you have to ask why then I would imagine bigotry has not fully been exhumed from your disposition. Too bad for you. When I see a person, any person, my acceptance of them is not governed by color, race, or ethnicity. From a very young age relationships were consistently based on common interests and personal connection. As it should be, I thought. It was not until I entered the public school system, watched TV or movies, or hung out with friends (basically engagement with the whole of society) that I became aware of it. To me bigotry was unnatural, even something dark and malevolent. I saw how it changed people, both the victim and the aggressor and veered far from it.
Knowing that, let me share a personal story:
It was an ordinary morning, off to work. First, a quick stop for coffee. The usual place was bustling with activity and the coffee was flowing. A young, black man was pouring his coffee ahead of me. I smiled and asked him how he was doing. No special treatment, simply normal treatment. Or what should be. He responded in kind. A pleasant and comfortable conversation. Modern society might have anticipated otherwise. Perhaps, as many may think, I am “supposed” to be looking through the eyes of an oppressed individual with little chance of succeeding in our community due to white oppression. This is totally contrary to what’s in my heart and the very thought sickens me. And perhaps him as well. As I dwelt on this further, I was convicted to write the following:
It would be fair to say as I shared above, that I was on board with the concept that black lives matter long before the organization of the same name (founded in 2013). After posting a few seemingly innocent comments on social media, I was quickly “schooled” that the notion of “All Lives Matter” diluted the original purpose of the BLM movement and, well basically shame on me. In my view at that time, I could never fully understand the genesis of the push back I received. Point in fact:
As it turns out, presently Asian hate has come to the forefront of our wretched society. I can safetly conclude that from a scriptural viewpoint, ALL lives do matter! Had we simply returned to the words of our Creator, we would have accomplished something worthwhile and fruitful long ago. This is my push back. In fact, I’m pushing way back to the words of our Creator:
The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
It was not like this from the beginning:
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Genesis 1:26
We ALL share a common ancestry. We all belong to one race. Most importantly, we are ALL made in the image of God. It is sin that changed everything:
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12
From there, it got worse. Men wanted to be like God, so God thrust us apart:
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. Genesis 11:8.9
From which point more clans, nations, and languages developed. Billy Graham wrote: “The devil did not create the various races, God created them and gave them their unique identity. He built His creative masterpiece with all of the ingredients for adaptation to various extremes of temperature; for living in high mountains and in desserts; for withstanding extreme cold and digesting mostly vegetables or primarily fish.”
Since sin remained in the world, bias and prejudice took a foothold and continues to this very day. Therefore we indeed need to value ALL life, including the lives of the unborn. He created all life, and all life is precious. Sin and its cousin ignorance would have us believe otherwise.
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see. ' Therefore your sin remains.” John 9:41
Clearly choosing to be racially blind was God’s original intent. Those who choose to know Him, will have the “racial scales” removed from their eyes. If not in this life, then certainly when we meet Him face to face in the next…..our final destination.
Jim
My perspective exactly. However, God created races strategically. He separated all races from the single race of the Hebrew people. Race is not color. It is nationalities. Then He offered a way to be graphed into His Race/Nation - through Jesus Christ. When any who receive the Life of Christ into their mortal being, they are graphed into God's Holy Nation, One Priesthood, One Spirit, and One God. God doesn't accept color or races; He offers a pathway into His Race/Nation no matter what color of skin. The triune of God is Hebrew, whatever color that is. In this fact is why the world has hated the Jewish God and their people. They tend to reject all religions, people, and nations that refute this fact. Not me. I get it.
This essay is a good practical example of "walking as children of light" (Eph. 5), and exposing the unfruitful works of darkness. This exposure first takes place in our minds. In this process we can often discover what is pleasing to the Lord. Then we can express what we have learned. Thus we stand against the evil of the world in Thought, Word, and Deed, as He inspires us. Good job!