As we have our bi weekly article discussion meeting for “The Scroll” our editor, Julianne, asks us of any notable events going on in our world. I am reminded of what might be the second biggest topic of conversation this year–next to Covid-19. Race.

Race seems like a timeless topic—one that will remain relevant and seemingly nuanced for all our lives and beyond. Perhaps it’s a lot simpler than people make it out to be, though.

Why is race a simple matter? Because we are all part of THE SAME RACE. Across every culture and ethnicities, we all have the same potential to do good and bad to our fellow human beings. There are no inherently better traits in any race and if you believe that there are, you might want to think about the amount of both personally and racially diverse people God moves through in the Bible.

So how do we “end” racism?  For starters, ask yourself the classic question of: “what would Jesus do?”. Would Jesus be quiet regarding the suffering of others, or would He sit down with a gentile woman from Samaria who is frowned upon by her whole village? This is important in understanding that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior would not discriminate someone because of their race or how the world perceives them.

The second thing you can do is check your vocabulary. Do you use any derogatory words to describe an ethnicity? Do you connect a cluster of stereotypes to a people group and assume that everyone fits into these stereotypes? If you do, then you may want to replace these harmful words from your vocabulary. While not everyone might take offense to your words, they can still have the potential to offend someone. Words can easily affect how you see others, and if you’re a follower of Christ, how others see Christ in you.

Another thing that you can do is educate yourself on the prejudice experienced by other groups. Before making any judgement on any civil rights movement from reading biased articles, talk to someone that has experienced prejudice. Before you say something about the experience of a group that you’re not part of, listen. Listen to what people are saying and how they see life, instead of passing judgement for a cause that you’re not suffering from.

            We often forget just how dependent we are on one another’s culture and heritage. We live in land owned by Native Americans, drive Japanese cars, wear clothes made in China, use Arabic numbers. I can go on and on about how cultures around the world have shaped daily life, the same cultures who suffer racism from the people who enjoy the fruits of their work. It’s hard to shake stereotypes from our minds because the media we consume still enforces these stereotypes on certain ethnicities. If we base our views on our neighbors on the media, not the Bible, how can we call ourselves followers of a God who loves all people? The same God who would lay His life down at the cross. Not just for you or the people who share the same skin color as you, but to all His elect.

“A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” — John 13:34