Racism is a spiritual enemy, whose agenda is to kill, relationally and literally. Whites who don't see color also don't often speak about Racism. And Blacks who see Racism often cannot speak about Racism to their white brethren. But the tipping point, at least for our black brethren, comes when societal injustices occur. Rightfully so. Those who name the name of Christ as their LORD must acknowledge Racism. Then the church's answer to racism must be to combat this enemy together, in love, so as not to lose any precious member of God's family; nor repel any who seek God and a refuge in our midst.

Racism is more prevalent out there, in the world; but it also spews out between Christian brethren in social media platforms, where vomiting divisive words has become commonplace--not godly, but commonplace. It's likely you've seen the emotionally charged exchanges. Maybe you've been the recipient of Racism's frustration, anger or hatred. Conceivably, you could have been the author of a racially motivated post, written in support of a people group, or crafted with poisonous intentions.

Wake Up & Speak Up, Church!

Recently, I viewed a live Facebook video, wherein my Christian sister Chanel, who is of black ethnicity, cried out against the silence of whites in issues of racial discrimination and violence against African Americans. I'd seen her prior, static posts on racism. Being a person who doesn't distinguish by a person's color, I thought her anger and accusations fed and stirred an emotionally hot, societal pot.

This particular day, she grieved the death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery of Georgia, U.S.A., who died as a result of a father and son acting as a neighborhood vigilante team. And she grieved that white folks weren't talking about it. Ahmaud was unknown to her; yet he was her brother. She grieved that her white Christian brethren were no where to be found on the issue of racism.

Her guts were holding years of sensory reports, delivered through social mediums. She had accumulated years of personal experiences. And she'd monitored her screaming thoughts on the evil we know as Racism, because the church's answer to Racism is: love one another; don't stir the pot. It certainly was my pretty, Christian answer for racism.

Chanel's raw hurt needed to release, and I could see that her molten anger was rising, making its way from her gut to her mouth. Her insides were primed for eruption. She was about to be the Church's Answer to Racism!

Challenged

I wanted to escape and scroll past her video, but my love for her urged me to stay.

Chanel began rocking my neat little world, where blacks and whites are equal. I felt lumped together with leftover bigots from a bygone era, or worse yet, grouped with despicable white supremacists. My thoughts pushed back: I would never...It's blacks who keep talking about discrimination that keeps discrimination alive.

I was so wrong. Still, I have mixed emotions.

1. Embarrassment for my personal color blindness; yet content for the same, because I'm in good company--God and His Son Jesus are color-blind;
2. I share the guilt for ignorance and passivity of my white race. I am sincerely sorry for both;
3. Turmoil, because I need to say to my suffering black brethren, you can't indict our whole race, either.
4. Mourning, because we, all members of the human race, cannot live color blind.

Back to Chanel's video...Her words began to penetrate my heart. She directed her questions to her white friends: Why aren't you talking about this? How can you say you love me, but you aren't doing anything to help us? Her hurt became palpable to me. I finally heard her heart and understood.

Racism isn't propagated when we talk about it; Racism is propagated when we don't talk about it.

It's my answer. It should be The Church's answer to Racism.

The Outworking of Racism

Personal Activism

In a sincere endeavor to proactively speak against Racism, I began creating Facebook posts, as well as posting comments of compassion and support for my friends of color. Pushing back Racism felt good.

Another Tragedy

And then the black community suffered another tragic loss. An African American man named George Floyd, suffocated as he was pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, while three other officers did nothing to stop the atrocity. Did race have a role in this arrest?

I locked arms again with my brethren of color and expressed my outrage and genuine grief for this loss.

The Aftermath - Protests & More Violence

Three days after Mr. Floyd's death, protestors hit the streets of Minneapolis . Had I lived there, I would have joined them. What happened to Mr. Floyd was inhumane, unprovoked and undeserved. We need to come together to require justice for this man.

What happened during that protest was pure criminal activity. Altercations ensued between the crowd and officers doing crowd control. Storefronts were destroyed and businesses were looted. Rioters burned the police station.

The Aftermath - Protests & Misunderstanding

More aware than ever before of the necessity to speak up against evil, I created a Facebook post to honor the deceased George Floyd and to speak against the criminal activity that overtook the peaceful public outcry. My post was directed to a racially diverse mob. This was my post:

"Minneapolis protesters, you are disgracing the name of George Floyd with your looting and destruction of your city. You are hurting innocent business owners and the welfare of your citizens. This, too, is very, very wrong! #GeorgeFloyd, #Minneapolisprotest"

Valerie Brown, Facebook post of 5/29/20

The Aftermath - Protests & Sympathizers

The next protest was from a Christian brother, who saw the destruction in the streets as an expression of taking back control, an expression of a lifetime's pent-up frustration and rage, sadness, hurt and helplessness; a statement of "We've got nothing to lose"; and "We don't care."

I hear your heart, brother. Nevertheless, I still can't reconcile lawlessness--looting, destroying the property of innocent business owners, endangering the lives of fellow citizens--as an acceptable response to Racism.

The Aftermath - More Racism

An African American sister in the LORD, protested my post against the criminal activity, and she had no sympathy--for me or other white folk who don't understand black matters. Sharon had no problem finding her voice. She had much to say to me and others who commented in the thread. We were the recipients of a big load of Black-on-White Racism. Her initial comment to me said:

"Valarie [sic] you really don’t get it! Don’t post on such matters! Your post adds fuel to the fire! #literallyMentally!#clueless!#diversityClasses!"

Sharon (last name purposely omitted), initial Facebook reply of 5/29/20

Sharon went on to defend the rioters: "Riots denotes [sic]...I'm not being heard and I'm furious." She went on to say, "The inner turmoil that Blacks experience is out of your realm of understanding. Please stop!"

The Aftermath - Broken Relationships

I opened this post by saying: Those who name the name of Christ as their LORD must acknowledge the presence of Racism and then combat this enemy together, in love, so as not to lose any precious member of God's family; nor repel any who seek God and refuge in our midst.

I can only describe what transpired within my post by saying: All Hell broke loose! Within minutes, fueled by the power of emotionally charged words, Racism had reared its ugly head among those of us who identify as Christians and good people. Within minutes, the sister withdrew and ended our Facebook friendship. Barring a miraculous work, the rift in our relationship, the brokenness in God's family, may be permanent.

More disturbing to me is the widened rift between my daughter and a belief that she can entrust the spiritual care of her children and herself to a particular church family.

Racial misunderstanding and an improper conversation about Racism has repelled someone who seeks God, someone who might have sought refuge in our midst. By God's miraculous restorative work, this rift may not be permanent.

 

 

Closing Thoughts

Let me close by saying:

I have never experienced the depth of hurt that my black brethren feel, nor have I lived with present danger and fear for personal safety and justice for me or my loved ones, in my everyday life.

I promise, the blinders of my heart have fallen off. I want to do more than understand the pain in Racism. I'm answering the "Speak up; do something!" cries of my first sister I wrote about in this post.

Please hear my heart: Racism has no place in our society, and Racism's only legitimate place in the Body of Christ is under our feet, cast there because we fought the beast together.

And, to my brethren who face Racism daily, I assure you, I hear your heart: Racism exists in our society and in the Body of Christ, and it hurts.

Let's lock hearts and fight it together.

The Church's Answer to Racism must be:

• talk about racism's victims;
• confront racial beliefs in those who perpetrate racism, and;
• have these difficult conversations with our African American brethren, even at the risk of being misunderstood.

We must all overcome evil with good, and watch out for one another. We're all members of The Human Race;

God answers prayer; so pray, we must. It's our only hope for peace and safety for all.

Thank you for reading.

Living Infinitely Beyond...in the face of Racism

"So then, from now on, we have a new perspective that refuses to evaluate people merely by their outward appearances. For that's how we once viewed the Anointed One, but no longer do we see him with limited human insight...And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God...We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ's behalf, 'Turn back to God and be reconciled to him.'" 2 Corinthians 5:16, 18, 20