Today I want to give you an extended quote from Ravi Zacharias. In case you are wondering where I stand on the issue, I am in full agreement with Ravi. I believe that not only is the issue of racism tragic in general, but the fact that Christians are still wrestling with the issue of loving others across cultural or ethnic or financial or skin-color lines is absolutely atrocious.
Ravi says it well:
“As we look across this globe today; there are few things that are as deeply troubling and volatile as this issue—the tragedy and the hell of racism. The pain of personal rejection by reason of birth alone is one of the deepest pains a human being can ever experience.
“I do not know how many of you heard the tennis great Arthur Ashe interviewed [after] he had contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion…. This greatly admired and mild-mannered gentleman looked into the eyes of the small army of reporters interviewing him & said, ‘As painful as it is to know that I have this dread disease, nothing could be as painful as the rejection I have endured all my life by virtue of my color.”
“Think of the agony encased in those words…. That a man so respected, so talented, so gentlemanly could express that the pain of the disintegration of his body was secondary to the deep, emotional suffering he had endured over a lifetime of personal rejection because of his color—is very sobering (Ravi Z.)”
As a Christian, I am to love my neighbor as myself. The story of the Good Samaritan was a story that attacked prejudice. And yet, too many of us Christians have refused to be obedient to Christ who loved not only those like Him, but also the Samaritan and the Gentile. He reconciled them by the cross. (you can read more about His reconciliation in Ephesians 2:11-22)
I continue to hear people say that prejudice will always exist and that we can’t really do anything about it.
I continue to hear that the issue is too big.
And if that is my belief, then my God is too small.
And if that is your belief, then your God is too small.
And if we are still holding prejudicial attitudes toward others based on skin color and yet call ourselves Christians, we are in sin. Read 1 John for a good discussion of how we who are called Christians are to love all other people (and especially our Christian brothers and sisters).
I know that prejudice does exist and will continue to exist in society, but tragically it still exists in the church – the one group that Jesus prayed would be perfected in unity. It is time for me to be obedient in stamping out any prejudice within me and helping others (especially within my church family) to do the same. To refuse to do so is to refuse to allow Jesus to have complete Lordship in my life.
God, Help Us To Change Our Conversations, Our Hearts, & Our Minds!
— brian rushing