Are you still reading after the title? Good on you! In case you were not abundantly clear about this, I'm a white person, so I am not the expert on Being Black In America. There are, however, lots of really great things on the internet about Being Black In America. It is beholden on us, the white people, to pay attention to the experience of black people. It is beholden on us, the Christians, to work for justice for all people, especially those most marginalized. And in case the link between those sentences is not clear, black people are marginalized.
Whatever our political leanings, we all need to align ourselves in agreement with the Spirit of God and say, "All people are created in the image of God, and all people deserve respect as image-bearers. All lives matter." And after we're done saying that, we need to stand up and say explicitly, "Black people are created in the image of God, and black people deserve respect as image-bearers. Black lives matter."
And, dear hearts, if it's hard for you to say "Black lives matter," take a deep breath and sit with that difficulty.
It is ok to feel uncomfortable. It is ok to struggle. It is ok to admit that this racial-justice-thing is unnatural for you, and there are no easy answers, and you don't enjoy thinking about it, and you'd rather just focus on the positive and get on with your day. I validate your feelings. You are entitled to all of your feelings.
But it is not ok for white people to sweep the issue of racial injustice aside and gloss over it because we feel bad. Black lives matter to God. Black lives need to matter to people who are following God.
Are you ready to get to work?
On seeing the racist world that influences us.
A test of your implicit bias for and against people who look similar and dissimilar to you.
How about looking up your local branch of Showing Up for Racial Justice to see what they're doing?
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