If you are reading this today and hoping for a “feel good” moment…you may not get your wish. I’m not sure when my spirit has been so troubled. I try hard to be positive when things are going the wrong way…but the current events in the world have at times, made me very frustrated.
There are many things that have me troubled, but right now one of them has me feeling very unsettled. It is the attempt to erase our country’s history in an effort to end racism. Do we have events in our past that were wrong? Of course we do. But trying to erase them from our history books isn’t the answer. It is our past from which we learn. It is our past where we see when we were in error. It is our past that shows us those things that helped shape us to be who we are today and yes, some of those events aren’t pleasant. But if we don’t learn from those times…if we don’t share those moments with the next generation…they may not learn from our mistakes…and make them again.
I’m not a trained counselor, but I can’t help but think about what more than likely happens, when a patient shares with their doctor a horrifying event in their past. Does the doctor tell the patient they just need to forget it completely? Do they tell them that if they just wipe it from their memory they won’t have to deal with it anymore? I am doubtful that this would be the answer to their healing.
Racism is a heart and sin issue and, unfortunately, it has been apparent since the beginning of time. In fact, there is racism in the Bible. As an example, Jewish people felt the Samaritan’s were a second-class people who they weren’t supposed to talk to, touch or even be in their presence. Jesus did the unimaginable when he approached a Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Jesus, who was a Jewish man, took time to speak to her and treated her equally and invited her to experience the Living Water so that she could spend eternity with Him. By His example, we are shown how others are to be treated…but if our heart isn’t right with Him, we will continue to cause division and pain.
Should we tear out pages in the Bible that speak of racism to make sure and erase those events from our past? Absolutely not…but I fear that is where we are headed. Again, erasing our past is not the answer…learning from our past and making sure that our heart is right with our Lord is the answer. We have lost our focus in our country…and our hearts aren’t where they are supposed to be.
Isaiah 2:22 says, “Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” Reading this, I come to the conclusion that this verse summarizes the main reason we aren’t where we should be. When our focus is on mankind, mankind will let us down. As Christians we need to remember that our focus is not to be on a human, but on the One who created us and will never let us down.
Humans can be unreliable, selfish, shortsighted, cruel…yet we often seek after them instead of putting our trust in our all-knowing God. Psalm 100:5 tells us, “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” HE is good…HE is faithful…HIS love never fails.
If we believe this to be true, then it is important that we ask ourselves: “Where is my focus? In whom do I put my trust? Whose image am I seeking?” If we are truly seeking Christ…if we truly desire to look like Him in every area of our lives, then there is no place in us for racism. We need to realize that ALL people are created in God’s image and we are called to love everyone and treat them the same way we desire to be treated. The world needs to see the love and peace we have as a result of following Him. It is peace that the world is looking for, but may never experience, unless they see it in us first.
The answer is not in erasing our history…it is in learning from our past and making sure we are following Christ’s example. Again, those we come in contact with need to see His peace and love in and through us…not our racism.
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