Saddened by Racial Tensions, Praying for God's Love Through All His Children

This week I visited with a good friend from high school, along with his mom. In many ways, during my high school years, his mom was like another mother to me. As we sat reminiscing we remembered, among other things, a friend named LeRoy. LeRoy was a big African American who played offensive line on the football team. We were friends. My friend’s mother remember LeRoy visiting her home. I remembered LeRoy at my home. My mom liked LeRoy, but my dog barked at him. LeRoy was a good friend, though unfortunately I am not sure where he is today.

I share that memory because of the sorry state of race relations in our country today, and also because February is Black History Month. Some might think that race relations are a political issue, and that this topic should not be part of a Christian devotion. I am sure that some people believe I should not be writing about or discussing this issue, that I should leave it to the politicians. But, the truth is that race relations are a faith issue, because as I have written previously, Christians are taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

When Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, He was referencing the racial tension of His time between Jews and Samaritans. When Peter visited the Roman centurion, Cornelius, bringing the good news of Jesus’ saving love, Peter shared the following truth of God. “34 . . . I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (Acts 10:34-35) When John wrote of his revelation in the 7th chapter of his book, he revealed, “9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” Did you hear that? Those before the throne of God are “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” According to Jesus, according to Peter and John, God loves ALL people, and God loves all peoples!

In my devotions from December 8 I read a story from Dr. William Willimon, a Methodist pastor and world renown teacher of preaching at Duke University. Willimon tells the story of a young man who found himself seated next to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on an airplane flight. The young man was a civil rights activist who, because of his activism, was estranged from his dad. He asked Dr. King, “What can I do to raise the consciousness of my father. . .?” The account follows, “Dr. King put his hand on the angry young man’s hand and said, ‘Your father is doing the best he can. He has not had many of your educational opportunities, opportunities which your father has provided for you. As a Christian you must be patient with him and love him.” (For All the Saints, Volume III, page 55) Perhaps you are surprised, as I was surprised when I read this, at the patience, at the mercy, and at the trust in God to work, which Dr. King encourages. Sadly, this does not sound like the attitudes which we hear about and read about in these times.