You Can't Love Jesus and Be a Racist

You heard me right.  You can't do it.  It's not possible.  I don't care what your opinions are regarding politics, crime, poverty, illegal immigration, homosexuality, etc.  It does not matter.  If you hate people, whatever your reason, you don't love Jesus.

Last week our church vans drove into local apartment complexes and picked up children of all races.  Most of these children came from low-income, single parent families.  They often had foul mouths, and they got into fights.  I was excited each night as they ran like wild hyenas came into the building.  I was thrilled with the fact that we were able to present these kids with the truth of God's Word.  Every night they sang and danced during worship time.  They gave me hugs each night before they left.  On Thursday night, when I had the opportunity to present the gospel, I presented it to all of them in the exact same way.  Salvation is available to every single one of us without prejudice or preference.  That's how God works.  He loves unconditionally and without respect to race or socioeconomic status.

It is unfathomable to me that there are still people, Christians even, who believe that white people are superior.  Oh, they may not have shaved heads and tattoos and swastikas on their shoulders (though some of them do), but they reveal their true feelings just the same.

Let them find their own church.
Why can't we just all speak English?
We need to stick with our own kind.

People feel free to share their narrow opinions.  They think because I am white I will agree with them.  Well, I don't.  Not even a little bit.  I will not giggle at your racist remarks.  I will not think you are cute or funny when you make generalizations about the kids that are picked up on our church vans.  I will think you are hateful, and I will fight the urge to fiercely dislike you, because in doing that, I become like you.  Full of prejudice.  Incapable of loving people unconditionally.  Incapable of loving God the way I should.

We all have our prejudices.  We were all raised by sinners in a sinful environment.  We all have attitudes that do not reflect Christ.  But in claiming to love Christ, we necessarily are called to love the things He loves.  And He loves people.  He gave His life for people.  People that you call derogatory names.  People that you avoid talking to.  People that wear burkas instead of jeans and tshirts.  People that don't look like you.  People that you intentionally avoid by shopping at a different grocery store.  People that you teach your children to avoid.

Next Sunday, our church choir is going to be learning a Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir song.  Half of the song is in Spanish, and living in Grand Prairie, Texas, the song is a good representation of our community.  We are surrounded by various cultures and races and languages.  The mission field has come to us.  And I don't often take them time to say it, but I am proud of my brother Craig, who happens to be our music director, for being open to reaching out in this small way to the huge number of Spanish speaking people that live around us.  But the complaints have already started.  They are few, but they are still there.  And they are wrong.  If you would like to hate and discriminate and misconstrue the Bible to support your sin, maybe our church isn't the place for you.  But don't worry, I will be running the vans again on Sunday morning, and I hope to have a van full of rowdy kids (that Jesus loves) to take your place.

  

Comments

  1. Love love love this post. I wish more people would see things this way. It's so frustrating to have the people in your church family that don't want anyone in their church that isn't just like them. Please tell me that someone will post a video of the choir singing this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good post, Julie. I wholeheartedly agree here.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts