So it was easy to believe an idea that I often hear these days--that focusing on issues of racial justice is a distraction from the gospel. We don't need to get bogged down in all these divisive issues. Instead let's stay focused on preaching the three angel's message. After all, when we look at the ministry of Jesus, He wasn't divisive. He didn't lead an insurrection against Rome; he didn't try to end slavery. I think it's worth noticing though that Jesus lived in an entirely different political and cultural environment than we do today. There were no First Amendment rights. There was no right to peaceably assemble or petition the government. There was no democratic tradition; there weren't even elections. When it came to the policies of the Roman Empire there were two choices--go along or armed rebellion. So to argue that Jesus "wasn't political" in His day doesn't necessarily translate to avoiding speaking out on the issues today. Indeed Jesus Himself, among others, was the inspiration for much of our modern day approach to nonviolent, peaceful protest.
And you'll also notice that Jesus didn't take pains to avoid controversy. And in the end he was identified as the enemy of good, religious people and He was killed by Rome as a potential insurrectionist.
But I think we have to ask ourselves if we're really looking to Jesus as our model. Our call to focus on the gospel and not on social justice issues, is often really a call to complacency and acceptance of the status quo. This response is maybe less about fealty to the gospel and more about restoring the comfort of some Christians. Black churches seem to do just fine preaching the gospel and pushing for just laws. It's white Christians who seem like they can't focus on Jesus while someone is rattling on about racism. It's been argued that excessive talk about racism hinders our ability to share the gospel because it upsets people and makes them uncomfortable. But I have to wonder if it isn't also true that ignoring issues of racial inequity or downplaying them might also upset some other people and make them distrust the supposed message of Jesus' love. Maybe it's a lot to do with who we are okay with discomfiting; whose comfort matters and whose doesn't.
While Jesus may not have seen government or society at large as the solution or the problem, He seemed to have a pretty strong idea of what kind of life His followers would live. Many of the same Christians that view taking an active stand on issues of racial inequality have no problem taking a vocal, public, and unapologetic stand when it comes to abortion or religious liberty. They see no conflict between advocating for political action and their preaching of the gospel. If anything, they are inextricably linked. You don't hear people saying abortion is a "heart issue" and that "rather than pass laws we need to focus on changing individual hearts."
Jesus showed a strong affinity for the marginalized. It's how he described his ministry (to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, the oppressed--Luke 4:18) and it's how he describes how His followers will be identified in the judgement (those who serve the interests not of the culturally dominant and powerful, but the "least of these" Matthew 25: 31-46).
When I look at Jesus as a model for dealing with the controversies of the day, I think it's safe to be active in seeking to support the marginalized. Not only safe but necessary. I don't think Jesus would say the ends justify the means. I know that Jesus does not advocate hating those who mete out injustice. I know He does not support lashing back in like manner. I know that Jesus would prioritize the needs of those He's trying to reach over a personal sense of self-congratulation. I know that Jesus has no interest in setting up His Kingdom on earth. He's not calling on His followers to demand that their religious values be enshrined in civil law. But feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and yes, supporting the oppressed are not about codifying one specific religion's beliefs.
I don't like to upset people. That's one of the reasons it took me so long to finally speak my heart on race in America. And for a long time I associated not upsetting people with being Christlike. I've come to realize that taking care not to upset people was not Christ's way (and of course neither was it His goal--as has become quite fashionable today--to go out of His way to upset people). Jesus upset people. He did things that He knew would upset people. But He did it in love and out of love. He did it in support of those that the dominant culture of His day had rejected and devalued. He did it to call out the hypocrisies of the supposed "good guys" who traveled across land and sea to make a convert only to make that convert twice the son of Hell they are (Matthew 23:15). Would Jesus wear a Black Lives Matter t-shirt? I think He would, because it would let those in this country that have been told in so many ways that they don't matter that they do matter in His eyes.
This is the end of the Angry series. I've covered all of the topics I jotted down right after my first post--everything that I'd been hiding away for decades that I finally wanted to say aloud, plus a few other things that came to mind along the way. If there's something else I feel needs to be said, I'll say it. But for now, I'm done. My next project will be to tell my personal story--perhaps in book form.
But the work is not done. While it is still daylight, we've got to be out there "on the battlefield for My Lord", doing His work. We are called to be soldiers in His army; soldiers of love. And I'm determined to do my part.
"He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of You, but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God."
--Micah 6:8
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