Recognizing and Rejecting Racism

 

Patrick Henry's famous give me liberty or give me death speech was not the only profound, future-shaping declaration to come from the oldest assembly of elected representatives in the American colonies. On June 12, 1776, the Virginia House of Burgesses approved George Mason’s great declaration, which states in Section 1: 

"That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity, namely the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."

It was subsequently used by many of the colonies as the basis of their declarations and it was undoubtedly one of the documents that influenced Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the Declaration of Independence. 

Listening to it today, in the light of the many issues that are dividing and turning us against ourselves, I am moved to consider a fresh, personal definition of racism:

For me, racism is the refusal to listen to and compassionately try to understand the expression of anyone that is feeling deprived of the God-given right of life, liberty, means of acquiring and possessing property, happiness, and safety just because they are different from me.

Whenever we who call ourselves Christians commit this sin, we are scandalizing the name and reputation of Jesus Christ who left Heaven and came to Earth in order to listen to, understand, and restore to us the blessings of life, liberty, happiness, and safety that come with a justified and intimate relationship with the One that created us and endowed us with such blessings:

"Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:11-13).

As we pray the popular revival prayer of 2 Chronicles 7:14, perhaps God will show those of us who are called by His name where He's calling us to turn from our wicked way of racism. As we respond, not only will He fulfill His promise to hear from Heaven and heal our land, our friends and enemies alike, will notice!