I am white. And I am grateful to be white.
I am grateful to wake up every morning not worried whether someone will think I'm trying to rob them if I am wearing the hoodie on my sweat shirt. I am grateful I can walk and drive around neighborhoods and not have the police called on me or guns fired in my direction. I am so grateful that I don't have to process through every single one of my facial expressions so I don't offend someone and get shot, choked, stabbed, hung, or kneeled on for it. But what I am not grateful for is that there are people, friends or not friends, that wake up every morning and have to consider all of the previously mentioned things (and SOOOO much more) before they can even leave their homes... and even then it's not promised that there won't be disgusting hate thrown their way.
I'm not innocent in this. When I was younger I made many un-loving, disrespectful, cruel remarks and jokes about people out of ignorance and stupidity. I wasn't raised to hate people, in fact my whole life I heard the scripture "love your neighbor", and yet my heart was not being loving at all. I was neglectful with my words and it breaks my heart to think about that now... And so I repent for the immaturity and hate that I let seep out of me.
I'm older now. I've seen more of the world, experienced cultures outside of the "white america" I grew up in... and I've learned quite a bit. I'd say the biggest lesson I've learned is that I'm not done learning. There will always be more for me to see, more for me to hear, and more for me to understand. Wisdom says to use every sense I have to make myself better so I can lead and love better and I plan to do just that.
No longer will I sit by with the ugly face of silence weighing on my chest. I CANNOT continue to watch people die because of such hate and two minutes later turn on netflix and forget it ever happened. Lord don't let me! I beg You to break my heart for this because I know it's breaking Yours!!!
I want to pose a serious thought to you...
Close your eyes and imagine...
Think of your child, your spouse, your parents, or even yourself...
Let empathy fill your heart and mind for a moment.
How do you feel when you imagine those closest to you being pinned to the ground with a knee in their neck, slowly cutting off the air from their lungs as they groan for mercy?
How do you feel when you think about being chased through your neighborhood with guns raised... knowing that moment might possibly be your last... and then it turns out you're right?
Stop pretending this isn't happening. Stop being naive. Stop suppressing empathy and let yourself feel this.
The greatest commandment is to love God and then that is quickly followed up with LOVE PEOPLE. Sometimes loving people looks cute and frilly like a valentines day card... but most of the time loving people looks like getting down in the dirt with them. Protecting them. Standing up for them. Listening to their stories and experiences and then letting it sit with you. So do that... all of it. Let it have and effect on you, your life, your thoughts, the way you raise your children, the way to think of people... let it change you.
And with all of that being said... I will also point out that this is a SPIRITUAL BATTLE!
So yes, do the things in the natural that need to be done, but don't forget that our fight is not against flesh and blood. We are not taking up our swords against people, but against a demonic principality. A principality that has taken up residence in too many hearts and minds. And we must command it to go. We must use all the spiritual authority that we carry to command it to leave and to end with us!
LISTEN | PRAY | LOVE | ACT
We can change this. We can end it. I know we can because Jesus said we'd do even greater things than He.
So if you're reading this and you're white, be grateful... but don't stop there. Make yourself uncomfortable with facts and discernment about this disgusting topic of racism. Call it what it is, by name, and command it to go.
And if you're reading this and you are any other color than white... I'm sorry that the enemy and sin have created such a disturbing thing and used so many people to carry out this hateful plan of destruction on you. We need you. I love you. And the Lord loves you. And He is bringing us out of negligence and into truth and light so we can stand with you. It ends NOW!
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