The country is talking about Charlottesvile, VA. I am sad to admit that I stayed away from the headlines for awhile. I am just tired of feeling all the things that these images bring up. Selfishly, I just wanted to protect myself from it. Because I am privileged and I can choose to engage or not. A lot of my fellow brothers and sisters do not get that choice. So who am I to ignore it?
As I watched my newsfeed fill with people’s reactions and opinions, I started to feed myself the lie that it wasn’t worth chiming in. Who needed one more person’s unexperienced perspective? Then I realized words are never wasted when standing up for your fellow humans. Words of encouragement and value are never worth saving for another time.
What we saw in Charlottesville was pure unadulterated racism. No ifs, ands, or butts about it. And while they obviously exist, I have not heard one person that does not agree with me. It literally disgusts me that these thoughts still exist in this world. But we are broken. While, I fight to remember that the hate slinging white supremacists are just as my brothers and sisters as my ethnic brothers and sisters I admit that in almost all ways I do not want to extend them grace. I have no right to withhold it, but I have no desire to give it. And that is something that I still need to bring before that Lord.
In light of these new images, I plead with my Christian family to continue to fight for unity and reconciliation with our fellow humans, especially those that are being unfairly persecuted. Do not hesitate to speak out for them, to pray for them.
But please don’t stop there. I urge everyone to not let these events be in vain. Our hearts might not hold the same hatred that was portrayed in VA. But we all have areas we can grow in. There is not one of us without biases or preconceived ideas. There is not one of us who loves each other the way we should. I do not say this to provoke feelings of condemnation, but a challenge. We cannot change these people’s beliefs, but we can sure enough change our own.
No one is immune to racism, even the accidental kind. Well meaning assumptions can make our ethnic family feel just as isolated as posters and torches at times. I sometimes pride myself on my “openness”. Because I was blessed to meet many fabulous people who have different backgrounds than me, I can allow myself to believe the lie that I have it all together in this area. But even just the other evening, in the privacy of my own kitchen, I made a generalization that while not being made maliciously, was still inappropriate. Even though there was no one but my husband to hear it, I had to ask “was that racist?” And because he loves me, he gently replied “maybe a little bit.” Because the truth is always more loving than a lie. In that moment I could choose to excuse or rationalize it, or brush past it because who would really know. But this time, Not all the time, but this time, I chose to repent. Because my fellow humans are deserving of my repentance.
Every tribe, tongue, nation, and color was made in the image of God and will be standing side by side with us in heaven. I truly believe that while we will never be able to understand the depths of God’s character, we will know it more fully by getting to know the people that God created in all their diversity and culture.
Let the events of the past weekend be a reminder to us that there is a lot of hate in the world. Let it be an even bigger reminder of what love really is. Love is being willing to be uncomfortable. It is stepping into the mess with no game plan but to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is being willing to ask tough questions. Love is being willing to allow someone to hold up a mirror and show you the parts of yourself that you are not all that proud of.
I mentioned before all the fabulous people that I am blessed with knowing. One of the greatest things about those relationships is that our love runs deep. So deep that when I say something stupid, they are willing to point it out. And then give me a hug and tell a joke. Because while they love me enough to challenge me, they are gracious enough to not let it change how much they care about me. What a gift?!
I pray that everyone has relationships like this. Friends that help them see life differently. That are brave enough to be honest. Brave enough to let each other in. Brave enough to risk the hurt for the beauty. That we would be the hands and feet of Christ to each other. Speaking truth, carrying each others burdens, doing life, and having fun.
I am sad for those protesting in Virginia. They have obviously not been able to experience the richness of a life full of culture, diversity, and grace. But let that not be us. Let us fight for more. More love, more grace, more understanding. Let us strive to be more like Christ.
And side note: Christ wasn’t white. But he still came for all of us without bias or preference.