Radical Racial Reconciliation
“Behind every question is a questioner, and behind every questioner is a network of hurts, beliefs, and even prejudices.” - Ravi Zacharias
Questions asked for the sake of understanding are good. Conversations that are void of blame and full of the love for humanity are healing. However, it’s important to understand that love is a spiritual initiative, not an innately humanistic one. Left alone, the heart of a man is evil and filled with various prejudices. Anyone can do anything at anytime if they’re not submitted to love and the moral identity that comes from God alone.
Most often we find our identity in the things that are external rather than eternal. We look to the communities we are most affirmed in and to the places we find we most belong. Truthfully, the need for affirmation and approval is wired into our DNA. Everyone has a deep-seated awareness of incompleteness apart from outside recognition and affirmation. However, anything we identify with apart from Jesus can ultimately be what separates us from Him.
Jesus told His disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” [Matthew 16:24 ESV]
Although it’s difficult for us to put down our past experiences, and our future desires, and question the things that have formed our identity, we must deny ourselves and look into the mirror of the word of God in order to rightly follow Jesus and love those around us without bias or prejudice.
In Philippians, Paul said “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” [Philippians 3:7-8 ESV] Paul was a devout Jew, and was respected as such in his community. However, he realized that his identity wasn’t in his heritage, but in Jesus alone. Jesus caused a Christian killer named Saul to turn into a disciple maker named Paul.
When we find our greatest affirmation and identity in Jesus, our perspective shifts and our external achievements, postures, habits, and identifiers start to flow in tandem with the identity of Jesus on the inside.
Jesus said the two greatest commandments are these: love God with all your heart, soul, and might, and love you neighbor as yourself. We can fulfill those commandments when we find our identity in the covenant we have with Him.
It’s sickening to see the hatred and injustice that plagues our country. Although it’s wonderful to have the conversations of resolution, the resolution is difficult to realize outside of our own individual reconciliation with our Heavenly Father. A son and daughter have to first take care of their daddy issues before their heart can reflect His toward their brother.
In the church, we must advance the kingdom conversation, and insist that our own hearts, false identity, and bias be changed through an encounter with Jesus, and a return to our Father. The kingdom isn’t eating or drinking, black or white, rich or poor, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
God loves everyone, and He sees our pain.