While no ethnicity can claim to be the exclusive recipient of racism, blacks are the recipients of racial injustice, prejudice, and discrimination more than any other ethnic group in most parts of the world. In the USA in recent years, there have been numerous high-profile examples of black men being treated unjustly, to say the very least, by police officers. It is distressing, shocking, and, for some, rage-inducing to see a black man die due to the treatment he received when a person of any other ethnicity, under the same circumstances, likely would have essentially received a slap on the wrist.
Let's explore what the Bible says about modern racism.
Racism has been a problem throughout human history. Why? The answer is simple...SIN. We harbor evil thoughts about other people and commit evil acts against other people because of sin (Romans 3:10-23). Sin makes us innately suspicious of people who look differently from us. Racism is, biblically speaking, evil (Ephesians 2:14; James 2:8).
We should never judge an entire ethnicity based on the evil actions of one member of that ethnicity, or many members of a particular ethnicity for that matter. Martin Luther King's dream was of a nation where people are not “judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Let us always remember to avoid hasty judgments or condemnations. Instead, let us strive to presume good intentions, whether it concerns the actions of a police officer or a black man. Our justice system embodies the principle of "innocent until proven guilty," we should allow this to guide our thinking. As James 1:19 reminds us, we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Let us also heed Jesus' admonition against hypocritical judging in Matthew 7:1-5. By embracing this mindset, we can avoid the pitfalls of prejudging situations and await the complete picture before concluding.
God knows the heart (Proverbs 21:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10). The "outward appearance" of something may seem straightforward, but we do not know about what is going on in a person's heart. What happened before the video recording started? What happened earlier in the day? What happened earlier in a person's life? While these questions do not excuse evil actions, they should cause us to pause before concluding about the reasons and motives behind a person's actions.
Just as it is wrong to judge a person solely on the color of his/her skin, it is also incorrect to judge an entire career field based on the evil actions of a few of its members. There are approximately 800,000 police officers in the USA. Most strive to treat people fairly and justly, regardless of race. To say that all police officers are racists, or at least racially biased, due to the actions of a few police officers is just as wrong as a police officer treating a black man poorly due to having difficulties with black men in the past. Again, we cannot automatically assume anything about the individual police officers or black men involved in a given situation. Nor can we automatically apply whatever was confirmed in that situation to every other situation. Just because one black man committed a crime does not mean all black men are criminals. Just because one police officer abused his power does not mean all police officers do so.
Our society needs healing, and specific solutions might come in various ways.
God does not show partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, God divided humanity into two “racial” groups: Jews and Gentiles. God intended for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). All forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Christ on the cross.
Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us (John 13:34). If God is impartial and loves us impartially, we must love others with that same high standard. Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting somebody whom God loves and for whom Jesus died.
CONCLUSION
When we find our identity in Christ and rest fully in His love and forgiveness, we become less defensive about the issue of racism. We acknowledge that we all have sin in our hearts and that it is only with the help of God that we can examine our hearts, listen to others, understand their perspective, and work together for unity. Racism is ultimately a matter of people's hearts, and it is only through viewing others as God views them and loving them as He has called us to that we can live in a society with less racism. With the redemption of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can transform and heal our hearts and work towards a world where love and unity reign.
Consider this question: "What is the end of the matter?" For those who perpetrate racism, it is time to repent. As it is written in Jeremiah 25:5, "Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices." For those who have been victims of racism, it may be difficult, but it is important to forgive. As it says in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Let us all strive to see each other as individuals loved by God, for whom Christ died and whom we are called to love. Regardless of the color of our skin, we are all part of humanity It's important to embrace our differences and acknowledge each other's worth. Let's celebrate our uniqueness while respecting and valuing one another.
RACISM IS A VIRUS | WE ARE THE VACCINE
One of my earliest memories is of an elementary school I attended once - I think, somewhere near Houston, TX.
I was one of 2 black kids in the whole school. I didn’t think that the difference in skin color was a problem until I was told it was.
No matter what our background is, when we become a part the Body of Christ, we cannot leave room for the prejudices and preconceived ideas we once held before being born again. We must allow ourselves to be made perfect in love. This is the impact of the Gospel!
This one needs to be a video it’s so good and so needed. I am going through this right now. The only thing I can do is test God through it all knowing he will vindicate me.