“Racism isn’t a
bad habit; it’s not a mistake; it’s a sin. The answer is not sociology; it’s
theology.” Tony Evans
As we were driving to Tennessee, the first
reports of the police shooting of Philandro Castille in the Twin Cities began
to seep out. As we were on vacation, we had not heard the report of the
shooting of another black man by police officers, Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge
until after we heard about the tragic death of Philandro Castille. All of this was
then followed by the assassinations of police officers in Dallas and Baton
Rouge.
Unfortunately, because we have access to news
24/7 and can instantly share our opinions, an ocean of emotional ignorance is frequently
dumped on the public stage. Much of what’s shared are knee jerk reactions.
Solutions are swiftly proposed with little thought or consideration.
Let me state this unequivocally: No
one on this planet has the solution to violent crime, racism or any other
social injustice. Not POTUS, not any of the Presidential candidates,
not any political party, group or individual. These are all sin issues our
world has grappled with since Cain murdered Abel. We can hopefully limit these
atrocities, but they’re unsolvable by fallen human beings, who themselves have
sinful, violent hearts.
Recently, Jane and I watched Selma. Those events took place over
fifty years ago and we are no closer to solving those terrible issues today
than we were in 1965. Much of the time in our attempt to correct one social
malady, we cause a host of new ones. So let me share some observations for you to consider and conclude with some action steps we as Christians can take in
our sin-filled, racially fragmented culture to help us be peacemakers, and the
salt and light we’re mandated to be by King Jesus.
In our media engorged world we’ve forgotten
a foundational premise – innocent until proven guilty. A few miles up
the road from where Jane and I recently vacationed is a bump on the highway
called “Hanging Limb.” Reportedly, it received its name because a black man was
hung there.
Our justice system, while flawed, essentially
works, yet, we’ve devolved into media lynchers without due process. None of us
would want to face that if we were the accused, yet we’re often willing
participants in the “lynching” of others…and we don’t have all the facts.
The basis of justice is “innocent until
proven guilty.” A short video can’t show all the facts. We must hear both
sides, not just one. Proverbs 18:13, “He
who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.” Too many jump to
conclusions based on fragments of information.
This is further complicated by serious flaws
in our justice system. 1) The snail pace
of our judicial system. It shouldn’t take a year or more for a case to be tried.
Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because the sentence
against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man
is fully set to do evil.” 2) The guilty should not be acquitted because of frivolous
technicalities. Our legal system has devolved into miniscule technicalities,
rather than what’s morally right or wrong. Add to that, the problem of unequal
representation in that those who can afford an expensive lawyer have a better
chance of being acquitted. 3) The
attitude of the average citizen toward jury duty. Serving on a jury should
be an honor, not a curse. Wouldn’t each of us want to be tried before a jury of
our peers, not poor saps who couldn’t find a way to wiggle out of their civic
responsibility?
Many crying out “black lives matter” are
hypocrites. While it’s true all lives matter, there are serious issues in
the black community, particularly in impoverished neighborhoods not found in
suburbia. No one would protest “all diseases matter” at a fundraiser for a
friend dying of a cancer.
Yet, it’s repugnantly hypocritical to protest
“black lives matter” if you’re pro-choice. Minority women constitute about 13%
of the female population (age 15-44) in the U.S. but have approximately 36% of
the abortions. Black women are more than 5 times as likely as white ones to
have an abortion. Nearly 2000 black babies are aborted every day in America. Essentially,
if Milwaukee were all black, the entire city would be executed annually.
And what about other blacks murdered in their
own neighborhoods? Where’s the outcry for these lost lives? Some 4,500 black
men are killed by their “neighbors” annually. As black pastor, Thabiti
Anyabwile, notes “People commit crimes in
their own neighborhoods against their neighbors. The statistics don’t reveal a
‘race’ thing; it’s largely a zip code thing.” Why doesn’t this make
headlines? Where are the protest marches?
Add to that, the racial breakdown of those
shot by police in 2015 went like this: the largest number, 494, were white; 258
were black; 172 were Hispanic with the remaining 66 were either “other” or
unknown. The notion cops are gunning down innocent black people is one of
today’s biggest and deadliest lies.
There will always be bad cops. Power
and authority corrupt. Like any profession (including ministers), there will
always be those who take advantage of their power and authority. Most
professions have the luxury to double-check a major decision. A police officer
is asked to make a split second decision to use or not use deadly force.
Sometimes he or she is going to be wrong. Most of us, faced with the same
situation, would also make the wrong choice.
We’ve become a nation of armchair quarterbacks
of everyone in leadership and authority. Rather than assuming the worst, we’d
be wiser to give those in leadership the benefit of the doubt, unless they’ve
demonstrated they’re unworthy of our trust.
The Cross is this world’s only hope. Throughout
history only believers who have lived out their Christianity have calmed the
storms of racism. Racism is a sin! Jesus died for all people groups. I love
Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and
behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every
nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb…” We must judge it first in our own hearts and must not
tolerate it in the Church.
We must pray. If we talked about social
issues as much as we pray about them, most of us wouldn’t have much to say. Pray
specifically we’ll soon be able to start a Hispanic ministry, the largest
ethnic group in our area.
Then, whether it’s at work, your neighborhood
or just shopping in an urban area, remember you represent King Jesus. We’re His
ambassadors.
It means I’m to be gracious, treating
everyone with respect, reaching out to them with His love...no matter what ethnic background they come from. For me, it means I
try to smile and greet others in public (it causes a few shocked looks). I try
to be observant and find ways to say kind things to others. I work at initiating
conversations. The Gospel is too critical for me to stay silent in my safe
cocoon. So I want to be the customer who was the highlight of their day, the
stranger with a smile who was friendly, the one who said something encouraging.
While I can’t change the world, I can make a difference in mine…and so can you!
Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com or visit our store at the Waterford Unique Antique Market at 209 North Milwaukee Street in Waterford, WI -- .
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