ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 12, 2022
I’m sort of a “give the benefit of the doubt” kind of person. In part, because I believe both my profession and my religion require it, but I have also been on the receiving end a few times. In those moments, it was a real gift of grace.
In recent weeks, there have been some racist statements by public figures that are deeply troubling. Some were hateful words spoken in very public forums and others behind closed doors where people didn’t know they were being recorded. I want to believe the best about people, and I never want to give up hope in people’s capacity to acknowledge a mistake, no matter how deep the pain caused, and then to seek amends. I believe the most deep-seated racism can be transformed, but it only starts with an acknowledgement of the sinful action and the systemic grip race-based hate has upon our culture. If racism was not still very present in our culture, we wouldn’t have folks using racist tropes to play on people’s insecurities or devalue certain parts of the human family.
In James 2, we read:
“You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself. But when you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, and by that same law you are exposed as a lawbreaker.”
The word could be translated as favoritism, partiality or discriminate. Though racism is a relatively new phenomenon, hate and discrimination have existed since there were things or other creatures to hate. It began with our fears and insecurities, but over time, these apprehensions and anxieties became woven into the fabric of our human systems—always finding something to dislike about the other in the hopes of hiding our fear in an Us vs. Them system.
Maybe I’m naive, and give the benefit of the doubt too often, but I cling to the words found in Colossians 1:20, where Paul tells us, “…through Christ, God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven.” The brokenness of this world is not God’s dream, and thus it is not what will win in the end. Some people will tell us, “It’s just the way things are,” but I refuse to accept that. We can do better. We must do better. I think our faith expects us to do so.
You believed in us enough to call us to the work of the Gospel. Holy God, continue to lift us beyond our insecurities so we can act with a love that honors every single person. Amen.
