How To Heal Our Racial Divide In A Polarized Election Season
Is ethnic (racial) unity possible in this polarized political season? It’s possible.
Here’s 5 Practices that will form us into Christ-centered unifiers.
Practice 1: Recognize that racism is an ancient dark sin. History is littered, from genocide in Rwanda and the Holocaust of Nazi Germany, we see its deadly impact. In the gospel, we now have the power to love like the Good Samaritan, dismantling racism. (Luke 10:25-37).
Practice 2: Be color-blessed, not color-blind. God is the Creator of the beautiful array of ethnicities. Our eternity in the new heaven and earth will be a dazzling display of ethnic diversity (Rev 5:9-12). Practice eternity in the present.
Practice 3: Listen to your brothers and sisters of different ethnicities with compassion. Listening with compassion creates intimacy, “in-to-me-you-see.” When we start seeing each other as siblings, we will listen compassionately to each other, leading to love for each other.
Practice 4: Love your brothers and sisters of different ethnicities with sacrificial love. Jesus’ sacrificial love for all ethnicities, led him to the cross. Love is sacrificial, consistent, and life-giving. When you love people of different ethnicities, you will lay your life down for them, like Jesus did for you.
Practice 5: Recite and live the Reconcilers Creed
Jesus, Your blood reconciles us to you and to each other as a mosaic of grace.
We worship you by loving one another.
We pledge our allegiance to you, the Lamb of God, not a Donkey or Elephant.
We will treasure our brothers and sisters of different ethnicities more than we treasure economic interests and political affiliations.
In Jesus name, Amen
Resources
Book: How to Heal our Racial Divide by Derwin L. Gray
Podcast Episode: Bryan Stevenson & Bishop Derek Grier | Reckoning with the Past, Hope for the Future - National Association of Evangelicals | National Association of Evangelicals (nae.org)
Prayer
Jesus, Your blood reconciles us to you and to each other as a mosaic of grace.
We worship you by loving one another.
We pledge our allegiance to you, the Lamb of God, not a Donkey or Elephant.
We will treasure our brothers and sisters of different ethnicities more than we treasure economic interests and political affiliations.
In Jesus name, Amen