DAILY DEVOTIONAL    📖 

Racism

There is an old Chinese proverb: “May you live in interesting times”.

Actually there is no evidence that this “proverb” is of Chinese origin.  Its meaning is also debated.  It probably means that times of conflict bring change, usually but not always,  good change, in society. I think you will agree that we live in “interesting times”. 

 

Growing up during the heyday of the coal industry in Appalachia, I saw change occurring, slowly, but surely.  I remember asking my coal miner Dad one time why he did not use the bathhouse to shower before coming home after his shift, instead coming home black with coal dust.  His answer really surprised me.  He said, “the bathhouse is segregated, and I don’t think that’s right”. Being a young and naïve person, such a thing never occurred to me. He told me that church folks should not agree with that type of racism, but the industry itself supported it as a way of keeping the union (UMWA) in its place and hindering union formation. 

 

He was, of course, right.  Treating someone differently because of the color of their skin is not Christian, for lots of reasons:

 

Because that’s not in the image of God. Jesus says if you treat someone with contempt, calling him or her ‘Raca’ or ‘fool,’ you are violating the principle of the command and are “in danger of the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22).  God wants all His children treated with respect and love. 

 

Because of the commandment to love your neighbor. Jesus summed up all the laws of God into two “great commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40). The second is to love our neighbor as we do ourselves. When Jesus is asked to define “love of neighbor”, he depicts someone who, at great risk and sacrifice, meets the physical and material needs of a person of a different race (Luke 10:25-37). “Go and do likewise” Jesus says to us, meaning that we must treat people of other races, nationalities, classes, and groups with the same amount of care, respect, and love that we would give to ourselves or members of our own communities.

 

Because of the gospel of justification by grace through faith. To understand and to make progress against racism as sin we must also understand racism as a violation of the principle of grace salvation at the heart of the gospel. 

 

Do we live in interesting times?  Yes, but not always good times. Let’s do our part to make them Godly times!

 

One final thought…. Go to assembly!  God loves it when His children visit!~jme

THOUGHT OF THE DAY🤔  You must be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi