As I reeled from the recent shootings in Baton Rouge, St. Paul, and Dallas, I knew I had to say something. Unexpressed grief easily becomes indifference, something no one needs.
So what do we need?
I believe times like these call not for desperate measures but a deliberate reach. So what does that look like for you and for me?
- Reach Inward: Face the enemy within. Our common temptation is to make these tragedies about “other people,” eliminating any idea of personal connection. But finding a solution means we must connect in real and painful ways. We must answer, and keep answering, questions like the following: In our everyday lives, how do we treat those who are dissimilar to us?
This week, three people—two African-Americans, the other a Native American, all persons of means and education—told me stories of being treated differently because of the color of their skin. One was a father whose son had been publicly slighted because of his race. Although he offered the boy comfort, he also had to share some bad news: This could, and probably would, happen again. In fact, the father told his son, “Because of the color of your skin, you may face this same thing the rest of your life.”
Why must such conversations occur? And why must such conclusions bear the sting of truth?
Lord, let us see other people as you see them. Let us learn to love as you love us.
- Reach Upward: Pray for those more intimately connected to these tragedies. As a friend of mine posted online,
Pray for the grieving families and loved ones in #Dallas, #BatonRouge, and #FalcolnHeights.
Pray for those in critical condition.
Pray for black lives to matter.
Pray for police to be safe and wise.
God, we ask that by your mercy, we may all repent, reconcile, and heal.
- Reach Outward: Seek purposeful, personal answers to the question, “How do I contribute to racial unity?” Individuals and congregations should work toward intentional response. Rob Innes, the Anglican Bishop of Europe, said, “Britain seems anxious to build fences. My job as a bishop is to build bridges.”
And the same holds true for us. Our job as Christians is to build bridges in a world marked by increasing hostility and fear.
So what bridges are you building? Whether for coffee, a Bible study, or a shared meal, do you invite people whose skin color is different than yours into your home? Into your life?
Or what about your church? How do you care for your community? Can congregations who are racially different link arms in a public show of solidarity? Does the racial mix of your congregation look like your community? After all, the biblical vision of the church is of a people made up of “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9c).
And what about the hiring of church staff? When it comes to making these decisions, is your congregation color-blind? I fear most are not. Yes, we love to use euphemisms about finding that staff member who “fits our culture.” But more often than not, racial preference is the bottom line. Let’s work together to erase it, and now.
Father, help us raise a generation that sees all people, regardless of race, through the eyes of Christ. May our churches become places where all people receive the same just, loving treatment you offer.
My heart grieves that we still live in both a church and a society where I feel compelled to offer recommendations like these. I would prefer it if we had gotten past much of this by now, if the Christian church of 2016 were a more visible expression of unity than our hostile and divided culture. And yet now is not the time merely to wring our hands and wish none of this was happening.
Now is the time to pray. Now is the time to act.
Let’s do it. Together.
What are your ideas for reaching toward racial unity? Share this blog and your response on Twitter. Please include my username, @revgregbrewer.
(This post is an adaption of Bishop Brewer’s official statement, “Crying Out, Reaching Out” on July 8, 2016.)
Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.