Conversations about race in America are very hard, and I am certainly no expert. I try to adopt an approach based on listening to and learning from people of color, who have far more insight to bring to the table than I do. Consequently, I generally would rather link to pieces written by people of color than chime in with my own, less-informed views. But tonight, in the wake of the decision not to indict a New York police officer in the killing of Eric Garner, I just want to write this to other white people, and especially other white Christians: Please try to be less defensive in these conversations. Please dont shut down when people argue that there is systemic racial bias in American society -- or when they use less accommodating language, like racism. Please dont shut down when people get angry, or even when people accuse you of things that you dont think are true. I know these conversations can easily become awkward, tense, and difficult. But please be willing to live in that tension for the sake of others who face challenges you and I will never face. Please resist the temptation to make these conversations about you, even if you feel unfairly maligned by someone else. White people have far less at stake in conversations about race than others do, so we can afford to be less defensive about it. As Christians, we should be guided by selfless love for others. We should actively desire to place ourselves in others shoes and to humbly learn and grow from that experience. Shutting down when people of color talk about racial bias is not the path of selfless love, and it isnt the way of Jesus. Its giving in to our self-centered, sinful nature -- and its a temptation we should resist, not embrace. So tonight, please seek out and listen to the laments of black Americans. Please try to learn from their experiences and concerns, even if that requires stepping outside of your comfort zone. And please show solidarity with those who suffer things you and I will never have to suffer. Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 05:22:42 +0000