A lot of people are trying to start "the racial conversation" and as a black person I'm asked what's going on in the country with race and why the protests, riots, and looting? My answer is the words of an old song by Millie Jackson. "you know what, you can comfort a snake, but he's still gonna bite." That's how I feel right now. I have tried keeping quiet, biting my tongue, making excuses, denying, and overlooking over and over, but I've seen the snake bite again and again. I'm sick and tired.
Millie Jackson goes own to say..."But even a dog will get tired if you keep on doing him wrong. He won't even come to you if you offer him his favorite bone"..."Even a dog gets tired of his bone and will bury it". So as Millie might would have said in 1960, this here black dog is tired. Seriously, people, are sick and tired of being sick and tired and are taking action. I am angry too. I have a black son and know what it is like to lay awake at night wondering if he's safe. I've often told him, son, at the end of the day, remember, you are a black man in America. It's not always about you doing everything right but that you ain't white. Before you ask, no, I don't condone all the actions, but I know what it feels like to be sick and tired so don't try to force me to accept the bone right now.
When I was asked to participate in a panel discussion, I told the lady that I had to check the calendar. What I really had to do was stop and pray. I knew I wanted to participate but I needed wisdom and I knew God would give it if I asked because, I'm human and I'm angry and sick and tired of this same old song. Having grown up in the 60s, this moment for me is different. In the 60s, it was happening all around and I couldn't fully understand and was not old enough to speak out. Today, it's happening and I'm fully aware of the protests to the injustice.
This request from the church came the same day I watched cops push a 75 year old white male to the ground and walk past him as blood was poring out of his ear on the concrete. This made me ask where is the soul of this country? Who is praying for the soul of the people? God is not happy and I am not happy. I don't know how many town halls and racial panel discussions it will take to find the solution, but it is a good start to the conversation. But I do know there has got to be a change.
We need a healing. The bible teaches in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
What we watched play out on video with mouths open in disbelief is not new, That "white knee" has been on our black men's neck for a long time. Educate yourself on the history of how black men came to America. It's just that the bone won't comfort the abused and wounded anymore. It's time for justice. This craziness has to stop and I believe the true Christians, have the answer.
God is in the ordinary, not just the extraordinary. He is here right now, in this very moment. I t may not look like it; it may not feel like it; protests, riots, looting...It doesn't matter what you call it. It's an ordinary day in 2020 in America. James 1:2 says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds," James goes on to say....."for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
James 1:2-8 ESV
So before we begin the conversation, remember, we have all heard the war strategy, divide and conquer. In this strategy you force the enemy to divide their defenses and leaves them vulnerable. That is not the strategy for Christians. When we see it playing out, call it out! This is Satan's tactic and he is using it still against the body of Christ. He seeks to divide and conquer because he knows that a disunified church is weak--so is a disunified people.
Rev Harold Dorrell Brisco, Pastor, Author was on CNN discussing how faith leaders are grappling with how to respond to the racial crisis. We have to count the cost of not living up to Jesus' example of Love.
It's not just about getting alone, Pastor Brisco says, "There is a storm coming". I say, the storm is here. He offers a framework I think is appropriate for us to consider. Realization, Readiness, Responsiveness, and Renewal. I describes this framework in my own words below:
- Realization - Acknowledge there is a problem -- The Air Force’s 8-Step Problem Solving framework teaches us that if we are to solve a problem, we must first acknowledge there is one and be able to frame it in a simple statement. There is no difference here. We have a problem with race in America.
- Readiness - Oprah is known to have said success is when preparation meets opportunity. I believe this crisis is an opportunity to show God's love and a test of our faith. If we are to be successful in solving the root cause of the problem, we must be properly prepared.
- Responsiveness - As people of faith we need to speak up with truth telling. We need to communicate with truth and grace. I can't know what's in your heart and what your true intents are but I can validate my feelings. I'm not called to judge your heart, that's what God does. I'm a fruit inspector and I can say the fruit makes me feel sick and tired. And for me to do nothing or say nothing is to be part of the problem. Finally,
- Renewal - One of Maya Angelou’s quotes says, “When we know better, we do better”. I say, we know better and we need to start where we are doing better.
Stop saying that it's not that bad. If you are still saying that and that you don't see color, then you are missing the point. You need to be able to see color and that this is not just a black problem. This is a humanity problem. We as Americans are losing our soul. If we are going to have this conversation, let's not just ask people that look like me what I'm telling my children. Ask yourself "What am I telling my children" because our children are not born seeing each other as different. We will only get through this when we start where we are Together. Drew Brees summarized it best in a response to one of President Trumps tweets on Instagram, "We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when? We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us."
Black Lives Matter: I challenge you to start your conversation today.
