I read this brilliant Christian viewpoint on Black Lives Matter by author and pastor Kai Nilson:
“I used the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ in a social media post earlier this week. As happens each time I use the phrase, someone asks, ‘Why not just say “all lives matter?”’ Here is my quick response: When one of my three kids gets hurt, it doesn’t make sense to say to them, ‘All my kids matter.’ In that moment, I embrace them and say , ‘You matter. Your pain matters. Your healing and return to health matters.’ That doesn’t diminish my love for my other kids. It expands my capacity to love as I live with another person’s pain. Jesus did the same thing in his ministry. He didn’t say, ‘all people matter.’ He went to those who were hurting, who’d been denied a place at the table, who had been cast out of community and said ‘You Matter.’ Samaritans matter. Women matter. Tax collectors matter. Lepers matter. Did that mean he loved other people less? By no means. His life and ministry expanded the vision and capacity of his followers to love as they broke down the religious and cultural walls that had long divided people.” Justice is important to God. Psalm 11:7 says, For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice. During his ministry on earth Jesus spent time with disenfranchised minority groups such as tax collectors, women, lepers and Samaritans. Micah 6:8 says, The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” I have a confession to make, I know that I have contributed (albeit unwittingly) to the problem because most of the people in the images on my website are caucasian. This has not been done deliberately, it's just that most of the images available are of caucasian people. I live in Australia in a richly diverse community. I will be making every effort to reflect that in the images I use in future and include people of diverse cultural backgrounds. NOTE: It is complicated to use photos of Indigenous Australians on your website as you are required to get copyright permission and consent. CHALLENGE: What are you going to do to be more inclusive and reach out to minority groups and the oppressed?
0 Comments
This is a couple of years old but it's a really important message and not just in the United States, but the whole world.
It's hard to watch the news and not get distressed about all the racial hatred and violence we see. The Bible says that love is the antidote to hate. 1 Peter 4:8 says, Most importantly, love each other deeply. Love has a way of not looking at others’ sins. There is so much wrong in the world right now (it's been that way since the Fall), and Satan continues to stir people up to hatred and violence. But if we truly love people, we overlook our differences. We see them through God's eyes. The Bible also says that we are all equal, regardless of race. Galatians 3:28 says, Now, in Christ, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or free, male or female. You are all the same in Christ Jesus.
If you want to make a difference, love people, regardless of the colour of their skin, or where they were born, or which side of town the live on. Don't just love in words, but love in action. Smile at everyone, not just the people who look like you. Talk to them, be kind to them, help them. The Bible refers to God as the Father, Son or Holy Spirit in different passages. In Matthew 28:19 it actually refers to all three “So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptise them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” It can be a bit confusing trying to wrap your brain around the Trinity but I like to think that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all God, just like the yolk, the white and the shell are all part of the egg.
Another analogy is that a person can be a father, son and an uncle - three different roles but the same person. I hope that helps. |
About UsShort and sweet inspirations for Christian teen girls. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|