We are finding ourselves in the middle of chaos, conversations and contemplation of how we respond to prejudice, bigotry and racism in our world. As pastor, I want my community, my church and myself to be a part of the solution. I want to see our society become transformed where the unjust becomes just, where the “less than” become “more than”, the hurting find relief and the broken are made whole. We can’t say we care about soul of another if we don’t care about the injustice done to one another.
The current issue of racism and the many years of mistreatment of people of color is right in front of us. How we view these very real issues we are experiencing in our world right now will determine how we respond to these very real issues. Discovering the perspective that God has about what we are facing right now has never been more important. That’s why It’s critical to have a “Kingdom perspective” as we approach these difficult conversations and as we engage in the chaos that we are experiencing. It’s never been more important to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) and to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly (Micah 6:8).
The Kingdom of God is for all of us. And Jesus showed us all how to live at citizens of this Kingdom. Not only that, Jesus is the perfect example of what it means to be a human being. Jesus lived a sinless life so that we can have an example to follow and so that we have a reference point that God understands our pain and our brokenness (1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 4:15). As Christians we believe these truths and that Jesus modeled humanity perfectly. How Jesus responds to issues of injustice, inequity, prejudice, hate and division is an example of how we should respond, too.
Since the days of Cain and Abel, mankind seems to have found a never-ending list of ways to create division, elevate themselves at the expense of others, stir up hatred and make others feel less than human. This unmitigated and reckless hate, heinous sinfulness and disgusting pride stands in complete and utter opposition to the truths of God’s Word. This illogical mentality of racism, sexism, classism, and every other form of prejudice is an insult and an offense to Jesus, the One who created the universe. It has no basis in truth. It’s a lie. That’s why this battle that we are in is spiritual at it’s core (John 8:44).
The basic lies that fuel bigotry, prejudice and racism:
They’re better than you.
You’re less valuable than I am.
You’re worthless.
You don’t deserve what I deserve.
They hate you.
These thoughts go contrary to what the Bible says about all human beings. These thoughts are the opposite of who God created us to be. Because we were made in His image, and therefore, we are created to reflect His character, qualities, and nature. How could someone read the words of Jesus, see the manner in which He treated those who were different than Him, those whom society had deemed lesser and unworthy, and still espouse prejudice, bigotry and racism? How does someone reconcile these thoughts with the words of Scripture:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” - Luke 6:31
“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:30
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” - Matthew 5:43-48
And yet, as crazy and diametrically opposed as it seems, it still happens every day! People of color have experienced the exact opposite of what Biblical love and equality looks like to Jesus. As a Christian, when I look at how I should respond to prejudice, bigotry and racism, I am looking to Jesus who modeled perfect humanity. Jesus shows us how to engage with people who think different, look different and act different than He did. Jesus’ message has always been “love your neighbor as yourself.” His mission has always been “Go into all the world.” That means going into and engaging with people who need love and acceptance in a world and at a time when it seems like He (and we) are surrounded by hatred, brutality, political abuse and religious excuse.
Jesus wasn’t afraid to engage in the racial tensions that were present in His day. He addressed the racial divide that was present. He didn’t remain silent but spoke up. He chose to use His voice and His actions to tear down the wall of racial tension that existed between the Jews, Gentiles and the Samaritans. It’s the closest expression of racial tensions that we have in the New Testament. How Jesus responded to these tensions gives us an example for us.
But what was this tension and how real was it in the first century?
Jesus understood that for thousands of years, the Jewish people have been constant recipients of racial discrimination. Dating back to their time in Egypt, the Jews have experienced injustice, slavery, and hatred. Sadly, though, they weren’t just on the receiving end of the hate. For centuries, from before the birth of Christ even into the time of His ministry, the Jews held extremely derogatory prejudices against Gentiles (often referring to them as “dogs”) and even more severely against Samaritans. According to John MacArthur,
“When the nation of Israel split politically after Solomon’s rule, King Omri named the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel Samaria (1 Kings 16:24). The name eventually referred to the entire district, which had been taken captive by Assyria in 722 BC. While Assyria led most of the populace of the ten northern tribes away . . . it left a sizable population of Jews in the northern Samaritan region and then transported many non-Jews into Samaria. These groups intermingled to form a mixed race through intermarriage. Eventually, tension developed between the Samaritans and the Jews who returned from captivity. The Samaritans withdrew from the worship of Yahweh at Jerusalem and established their worship at Mt. Gerizim in Samaria . . . As a result of this history, Jews refused to accept or associate with Samaritans. Intense ethnic and cultural tensions raged historically between the two groups so that both avoided contact as much as possible.”
This tension continued, as the relationship between Jews and Samaritans at the time of Jesus was anything but pleasant. Jews considered Samaritans unacceptable and always unwelcome. And Samaritans regarded Jews as heretics; their Scripture consisted only of the five first books of the Bible. So, Jews and Samaritans were enemies starting with race. The Jewish people showed prejudice, discrimination and antagonism against Gentiles and Samaritans based on the belief that their own race was superior.
How did Jesus handle racial tension in His day?
He didn’t just confront it, he went through it. Read the story of Jesus and Samaritan woman below,
“…He had to pass through Samaritan territory. 5 Jesus arrived at the Samaritan village of Sychar,[b] near the field that Jacob had given to his son, Joseph, long ago. 6–8 Wearied by his long journey, he sat on the edge of Jacob’s well.[c] He sent his disciples into the village to buy food, for it was already afternoon. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” - John 4:4-8
This brings us to John 4:4 (NIV) which says, “Now he had to go through Samaria.” Technically, Jesus didn’t have to go through Samaria. F.F. Bruce wrote, “Samaria lay between Judea in the south and Galilee in the north; anyone, therefore, who wished to go from Judea to Galilee ‘had to pass through Samaria’ unless he was prepared to make a detour through Transjordan.” But, due to the feelings Jews had regarding Samaritans, most Jews would have taken the long way to Galilee. But Jesus wasn’t “most Jews” and decided to take the direct route and arrived at Sychar.
This entire passage is so essential to our view of all people and our understanding of humanity for so many reasons. Jesus understood the racial tensions that existed not only with His people but with His disciples. He could have “avoided it” or chose to “go around it.” Even in our own lives, we understand that the painful past of racism in our country is something that we don’t like to acknowledge or recognize as Americans. We respond to many of our black brothers and sisters by doing the same: avoiding it or going around it. But Jesus does something that was different than what was the normal in His day: He goes into it, He goes through it. Jesus chooses to shatter any and ALL arguments of racism, prejudice, and bigotry toward anyone. He makes them all obsolete. The majority of Jews would have never asked a Samaritan for something. Their prejudice would have steered them the opposite way.
None of this meant a thing to Jesus because:
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” -John 3:16 ESV
“You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” -Galatians 3:26–28 NLT
We’re all the same before God (Romans 3:23). We are all equal at the foot of the cross. No one is better, higher, more evolved or superior over anyone else. In fact, no one is better in the eyes of God than the other, not even one (Romans 3:10 NIV). Jesus died for all of us, because we are all rare and beautiful in the eyes of God. He loves us all with an everlasting, unconditional, inextinguishable love! Jesus came for everyone—God so loved the world that He gave His only son so that everyone can have eternal life. We know that because our destiny is every ethnicity worshipping God in their own way:
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, eery tribe, every people, every language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” -Revelation 7:9
Heaven will be wonderful and colorful. Heaven doesn’t discriminate but has it’s door wide open for all who call on the Name of Jesus. Jesus knew heaven well and knows that it is for everyone. And when you live like heaven on earth, you can’t help but be inclusive. The story continues,
9 Surprised, she said, “Why would a Jewish man ask a Samaritan woman for a drink of water?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew who I am and the gift that God wants to give you…” - John 4:9-10
This is Jesus first attempt in the Bible declaring, “Samaritan Lives Matter.” Jesus knew that all lives matter. But at that time, yet Jesus saw how first century culture knew that Samaritans lives mattered little. That’s why Jesus had to tell the story because Jesus knew that Samaritans lives were valued less than Jewish lives. Which goes against heaven and the very heart of God. That’s what sin does. It takes all people who are created in the image of God and rearranges them into categories based on skin color, physical features, native tongues, etc. Sin devalues you, demoralizes you and destroys you.
Sin suffocates you.
This woman would have known the suffocation of being a woman, marginalized in a culture during a time when women didn’t have value or a voice. She also would have known her own racial disparages as a Samaritan woman. Usually, the town well was outside the town walls, and the women would go to draw water in the early morning or the evening when it was cool. This woman is going at the “sixth hour” or noon, during the heat of the day. This issue of timing coupled with the fact that the woman had five husbands and is now living with a man who is not her husband means that she was a social pariah and went to the well at “off-peak times” to avoid even the scorn and ridicule of the other people of the town. The woman knew the abuse, the pain and the brokenness of her past. She experienced “suffocation” of rejection. She knew what it was like not being valuable enough and experiencing her own moments of being disposable, dispensable and expendable. These moments of lacking value, respect, purpose, dignity and racism because of who she was would have caused her to possibly even mutter, “I can’t breathe.”
Jesus’ answer to her suffocation is “breath.” Literally. When this woman needed acceptance, freedom and justice…Jesus gave her “ruwach.” That word is a Hebrew word that we would recognize in English as the word “Spirit.” Jesus’ answer to a woman who was experiencing racism and was longing to catch a breath was this: “receive My breath.” When the woman was talking about her painful past, Jesus crossed the racial divide to remind her that she is valuable, she is necessary and that she has a future…breathing. We know this because Jesus uses the word breath when speaking with her,
“God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24
God is “Spirit.” Or in other words, God is “breath” and you must breathe Him in. And when you breathe in the breath of God, “ruwach”, you not only find your life and purpose but you find truth. It’s the truth that exposes the lies of your not valuable, your race doesn’t matter and you aren’t loved or accepted. When you worship Jesus, you can breathe again. When you worship, you breathe in the value that God has for you, for all people and for you to see not only their color but their worth. When you worship, you breathe in perspective to love people when it’s hard and to empathize with their situation and beliefs. When you worship you breathe in the forgiveness of Jesus to help you overcome past hurts pain and to resist getting revenge. When you worship you breathe in the compassion to love others and serve others that are different than you. When you worship, you breathe in the patience to listen and to keep learning do you can grow as a human being and as a follower of Jesus.
This woman goes on to transform a city with the hope of Jesus. But that wasn’t the only instance when Jesus chose to speak up about racial tensions. Jesus addressed it again when he was going to bring the message to Samaria. Racial tensions flared up between the Jews and Samaritans yet again. The answer of the disciples who were on the receiving end of the racial tensions- they wanted to burn the city down. They felt the only justification for their discrimination was incineration. See the exchange between the Jews and Samaritans below:
“Jesus passionately determined to leave for Jerusalem and let nothing distract him from fulfilling his mission there, for the time for him to be lifted up was drawing near. So he sent messengers ahead of him as envoys to a village of the Samaritans. But as they approached the village, they were turned away. They would not allow Jesus to enter, for he was on his way to worship in Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John realized what was happening, they came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if you wanted to, you could command fire to fall down from heaven just like Elijah did and destroy all these wicked people.”
Jesus rebuked them sharply, saying, “Don’t you realize what comes from your hearts when you say that? For the Son of Man did not come to destroy life, but to bring life to the earth.”
So they went to another village instead.” - Luke 9:51-56
Jesus knew that setting a city ablaze wasn’t the answer. Jesus calls the disciples to examine their hearts. And that goes for all of us. We all need to have a self-examination of our hearts. We need to look at what’s “coming out of us” when we are feeling the pressure. Jesus doesn’t debate if it’s right or wrong to set fire to a city but goes back to the human condition. When you fix your heart, you fix racism.
Jesus is the answer to sin. And Kingdom is the answer to culture. Kingdom will always be the BETTER answer to culture. The Kingdom of God is rightousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Maybe a way to say it in our culture is to be right in the eyes of God, peaceful protest and bringing happiness. These are great attributes of the Kingdom and we are all about sharing these Kingdom values. And sometimes God’s Kingdom will stand against cultural norms at times. The Bible is crystal clear that prejudice is not a way to live; that bigotry is sin; and racism is pure evil. It violates the Great Commission, it disregards the Great Commandment, it questions God’s creation, it opposes God’s plan. Jesus’ answer to racism in the first century was not to bring death and destruction against those committing the injustice, but to bring life and instruction to those receiving the injustice. There is not one place in the Bible where Jesus lit a city on fire, resisted a Roman police officer or caused a riot because of a breakdown of race relations. Jesus engaged in conversation with Samaritans and Jews about the discrimination against one another that was in their hearts. Jesus never attacked the Roman guards with violence (even though His disciples wanted Him to) and He never discriminated against those who were different than He was (even though His disciples were vocal about their own prejudice). Jesus chose life-giving conversation instead of angry confrontations. Maybe we should consider that, too.
Some would argue that Jesus flipping tables in the temple would be considered a riot. Maybe. But it was against the religious community and the context wasn’t race-related. He didn’t flip tables in the marketplace (grocery stores, Nike stores, Target stores, etc) but in the Temple. Really the only time you see Jesus getting justifiably “mad” is at the religious community. Maybe that’s appropriate in the context of church, spiritual abuse, financial exploitation, taking advantage of widows, etc. Maybe we should be angry at how the church should have responded earlier to the injustice of racism. But to say Jesus was flipping tables in the Temple to fight against racism would not be true. While I am all for expressing yourself with protest, let’s follow the example of Jesus who made it clear that burning down a city for those who disagree with you is absolutely not the answer, but giving life is. And while Jesus knew that racism in the first century was wrong, just like we do today, He decided to take it to the highest level: love your neighbor. While Jesus understood the tension in the air during this time, He chose to simplify this issue of injustice down to a simple command to “love God and love your neighbor as yourself.” After being in the middle of this tension, He saw another moment to teach those around him the power of love.
Jesus goes on to engage in a conversation with a rich, young ruler. He is doing his best to be an upstanding citizen. He seems to be a model person in the community. But bigotry and racial bias always will hide itself in clever ways. Jesus, knowing the hearts of everyone he encountered (Matthew 12:25; 22:18), notices the prejudice in the heart of this young man. While Jesus commends him for his actions in the community, He provokes this young man to change by addressing the one thing that will hold him back from what God has for him: his racial bias towards Samaritans. Jesus tells a story of what it means to love your neighbor,
“Wanting to justify himself, he questioned Jesus further, saying, “What do you mean by ‘my neighbor’?”
Jesus replied, “Listen and I will tell you. There was once a Jewish man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when bandits robbed him along the way. They beat him severely, stripped him naked, and left him half dead.
“Soon, a Jewish priest walking down the same road came upon the wounded man. Seeing him from a distance, the priest crossed to the other side of the road and walked right past him, not turning to help him one bit.
“Later, a religious man, a Levite, came walking down the same road and likewise crossed to the other side to pass by the wounded man without stopping to help him.
“Finally, another man, a Samaritan, came upon the bleeding man and was moved with tender compassion for him. He stooped down and gave him first aid, pouring olive oil on his wounds, disinfecting them with wine, and bandaging them to stop the bleeding. Lifting him up, he placed him on his own donkey and brought him to an inn. Then he took him from his donkey and carried him to a room for the night. The next morning he took his own money from his wallet and gave it to the innkeeper with these words: ‘Take care of him until I come back from my journey. If it costs more than this, I will repay you when I return.So, now, tell me, which one of the three men who saw the wounded man proved to be the true neighbor?”
The religious scholar responded, “The one who demonstrated kindness and mercy.”
Jesus said, “You must go and do the same as he.”
Jesus flips the script on this Jewish man and all the Jewish people who were listening. Jesus decides to put the Samaritan in a position of power and the Jewish man (like himself) He places in a position of pain and hurt. This is a powerful illustration for this rich young ruler because it was Jesus attempt at “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” And let’s be honest, this is the answer to so much of our misunderstanding today on the issue of race: putting yourself in their shoes. Let’s put it in today’s language: it’s the white man who was being abused and left to die on the street through injustice and it was the black man as the Samaritan bringing help, healing and hope to the situation. The story reversed a privileged Jewish view of racism and put the minority in the story as the hero. It called for the Jewish man to recognize his privilege and see from the lens of those he was holding bias against.
It’s similar to our modern day parable of The Help. In 1960s Mississippi, Southern society girl Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns from college with dreams of being a writer. She turns her small town upside down by choosing to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent white families. Only Aibileen (Viola Davis), the housekeeper of Skeeter's best friend, will talk at first. But as the pair continue the collaboration, more women decide to come forward, and as it turns out, they have quite a lot to say. It’s getting in the head and heart of someone who has experienced injustice to empathize and understand what it’s like to be someone in “their shoes.”
That’s what Jesus is doing with this parable. He’s helping this rich young ruler understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of injustice. But while others walked away and walked around this hurting man, the Samaritan chooses to help. His response isn’t returning harm for harm. Jesus makes it clear that our response to those who are different than us and who may have even hurt us is compassion. It’s washing their wounds, it’s paying for their care, and going the distance with them. It’s “take care of him till I come back.” That means it wasn’t a “one-and-done” but a continued relationship of helping, healing and hope-filling until this man gets back on his feet. I love that! Compassion moves you to not just do something once to make your “conscience feel better” but to keep that relationship going and keep investing in your cause, to check back in and keep doing the right thing till their situation changes.
It’s responding the way Jesus responded. Plain and simple. Drop Jesus into 2020, and HE WOULD BE A MINORITY. How would Jesus be celebrated in your community as a person of color? Hopefully the same way YOU would be celebrated. And yet Jesus knew this, and chose to still model for us the perfect way to live and love. Jesus chose to modelIn times of our own modern racial tensions, how do we continue to respond the way Jesus would want us to?
Here are 7 Practical ways Jesus engaged in the conversation of racism:
One. Stop Going Around It and Go Through it
Talking about critical issues is hard. And while Jesus could have easily chosen to not engage by going around it, He went right into it. He chose to not have just one but multiple conversations on how we see and love people who are different than us. Choose to have the hard conversations and be quick to listen but slow to speak.
Two. See people as a creation of God
No matter who you are, you are a creation of God made in the image of God. Because when you do, you will not only see them but will celebrate their color, their ethnicity and their value in your life. Choosing to see color is choosing to see God’s handiwork and validating God’s decision to make our world full with people of color.
Three. Give others the gift of your lens
Put yourself in other people’s shoes. That’s the beauty of the “Good Samaritan” parable. Jesus chose to put the Jewish person in the lens of someone who was traditionally, beat down, robbed and stripped of resources, rights and privileges. Jesus was showing them what it was like and what the response should be as a “good neighbor” which was to care, love, serve and give instead of walking by and ignoring what was really happening. Listening and gaining perspective will not only make you richer for listening but will validate those who need to be heard and to have their stories made known so change can happen. Make it a point to ask, “what’s it like to be you?” You will be surprised by what you hear and more enlightened to love bigger and better.
Four. Empathize more and sympathize less.
Sympathy is emotional but empathy is a powerful. Empathy is stronger than sympathy. Sympathy is a shared feeling, usually of sorrow, pity or compassion for another person. But empathy is the ability to put yourself in the place of another and understand someone else's feelings by identifying with them. It’s the difference between feeling bad about what’s happening versus Showing up to protest peacefully is one way to empathize. Engaging in meaningful conversations with people who are different than you. While sympathizing is a good starting point, empathizing is a good serving point as you get into the lives of the hurting people around you and give your life to making our world a better place for all people.
Five. Stop DEFENDING WHO YOU’RE NOT and start DOING WHO YOU ARE
It’s very easy to say what you’re not. It’s easy to say, ‘I’m not a racist.’ Good. But are you empathetic? Are you compassionate? Are you working towards reconciliation? Are you considering ways to work for justice?” Guilt is not a strategy but goodness is a great place to start. Actions will always speak louder than words. Stop feeling bad and start choosing good.
Six. Commit to the Long Journey of Justice
One of my friends, Clynt Reddy, has a wonderful and unique perspective being a person of color and living in the heart of Minneapolis during this time. He says it best,
“May we live in ways where the color of our skin matters, but not in ways that drive wedges and perpetuate systems of injustice and prejudice that linger to this day from the global sins of slavery, colonial occupation, and ethnic genocide.May we celebrate the cause of the unheard. May we be the church and the people that work to bring that future now. It’s not an easy road ahead, and it’s not a short road ahead. There are years ahead of us to rebuild—to rebuild trust, our city, and our relationships, and I’m putting my stake in the ground right now to say I’m in to build that future.” - Clynt Ready
SEVEN. Get a more colorful circle.
We can choose to live convenient lives in our comfortable relationship circles. But stop and take a look around at who is in your relationship sphere of influence? Who are you connecting with that is different than you? If you are lacking diversity, choose today to make a change. Find friends who are different than you because their perspective will change you. The more colorful your friendships the better! God puts people into our lives to help make us better. Find someone who is different than you politically, racially, spiritually, etc and watch your compassion increase for those that represent that group of people in your circle.
I have done my best to build that future. My wife and I chose our first ministry job to be a part of a church that was half black in the deep south. We were surrounded by people of color every Sunday worshipping, giving, loving and serving along side of us. Since I grew up in a small town in the middle of Minnesota, choosing to move to the other end of the country and “do life” with people who were extremely different than me was a beautiful time and showed me that the church should be one of the most diverse places on the planet. We did our best to build a student ministry where all people, black, white and brown can come together to express their love of God and their commitment to each other.
We also lived on the east coast in the beautiful city of Washington DC. Our place where we lived on H Street was wonderfully diverse. Our whole family was plunged into the colorful community in Northeast where we lived with my daughter experiencing first-hand what it’s like to be a minority in her class. Even the sounds of Enon Baptist Church (our church that was around the corner on our block) and the all-black choir singing into the night as my kids fell asleep are memories that helped shape us to understand the people of color in my community and how we lived and celebrated each other and our differences.
While I will never understand what my friends in the black community have experienced over the years, I am continuing to live al life of listening, learning and loving. God used these experiences to show me compassion and empathy for my black brothers and sisters and God continues to show me how I can do better. How we ALL can do better.
God gives us a “better way” to navigate all of the relationships in our lives. And I am leaving us all with this Scripture from Romans 12: 14-21 as a proclamation on how we can all live better and do better:
14 Speak blessing, not cursing, over those who reject and persecute you.
15 Celebrate with those who celebrate, and weep with those who grieve. 16 Live happily together in a spirit of harmony, and be as mindful of another’s worth as you are your own. Don’t live with a lofty mind-set, thinking you are too important to serve others, but be willing to do menial tasks and identify with those who are humble minded.[f] Don’t be smug or even think for a moment that you know it all.
17 Never hold a grudge or try to get even, but plan your life around the noblest way to benefit others. 18 Do your best to live as everybody’s friend.[g]
19 Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice.[h] For the Scriptures say:
“If you don’t take justice in your own hands,
I will release justice for you,” says the Lord.[i]
20 And:
If your enemy is hungry, buy him lunch!
Win him over with kindness.[j]
For your surprising generosity will awaken his conscience,
and God will reward you with favor.[k]
21 Never let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.” -Romans 12:14-21
