Dear White Christian
Dear White Christian
A message on laying down our privilege and taking up compassion
by Jessica Lawson
You’re being confronted with a lot of harsh language. You’ve been called a racist, a Trump lover, a bigot, and probably more. You are probably rolling your eyes at all the drama. You are so done with all the reposts and reshares from your friends on social media. You may have even unfollowed some of them. Some moments you’ve been quiet and let the conversation pass by. Other times you’ve jumped with both feet into combat and shared your views and your perspectives. Maybe you were frustrated when your Church posted a black square on Black Out Tuesday. Why did they have to get political?
This might be an uncomfortable time for you.
But, let me ask you, did you watch the video? The video of George Floyd being killed in the street like an animal over a $20 counterfeit bill?
Did you watch the whole 7 minutes? Did you imagine what you would have done if you were there?
Try it.
Imagine it.
Four police officers were weighing him down. One with his knee on his neck.
This wasn’t a “vote for Joe Biden” conspiracy theory. This was real life, caught on video. This really happened. You could have been there. Imagine you were.
I know what you're thinking because I used to think the same things, have the same skepticism.
“Well, if he obeyed the law...
Well, if he didn’t resist arrest...
Where did the counterfeit bill come from??”
We as white people have been trained to be suspicious of minorities.
Let's be honest. What's your ideal neighborhood? Who are your ideal neighbors? Is it people who look like George?
I remember the first minority conflict I had. I was 5 years old. I’m obviously white and the shade of my kindergarten adversary was dark. She was mean, she would pick on me, hit me, and spread rumors about me. I remember finally telling an adult about her and their response to me, a straight-A, white Girl Scout was this, “Don’t worry about that ghetto piece of trash."
At 5 years old I was taught to put black people in this category.
Even though prejudices against minorities were passed along and became a part of my logical reasoning as I grew up, I met a man of different ethnicity. Very not white. Very different.
I met Jesus.
Brown. Jewish. Minority.
Jesus changes the lens to which we see others.
Jesus changed my view of people who look different than me.
Because of Jesus, I was able to be healed of my racism infection.
Friend, there’s a lot of conversations about black lives matter, the dismissal of all lives matter, police defunding, etc. I know you want to examine the reason and the logic, but if you are a follower of Jesus I implore you to lay down your vantage point.
Lay down your politics on the same ground George died on. Get on that level. Imagine the scene differently...
Your brother is George. Your dad is George. Your husband is George.
Let's say the narrative is that they got a $20 bill back from a friend and when they went to use it, it turned out to be counterfeit. The clerk calls the police. Your brother/dad/husband tries reasoning with the officers saying, "Woah, this is a mistake." "I didn't know." "Let me pay for that."
Escalation.
Your brother/dad/husband ends up on the ground. You're there. Watching. Begging them to get off of him. Who do you call to help?
I can't call 911, the police are literally here.
Why are they doing this to him?
He says he doesn't feel good.
How can I help?
The other one has a gun pointed at me.
How can I help?
He can't breathe.
He is crying out.
My brother.
My dad.
My husband.
CAN NOT BREATHE.
The people around me are filming the injustice.
But how do I help?
He is bleeding!!
I'm begging. Crying. Wailing.
Wailing. Please get off him.
That's my brother.
That's my dad.
That's my husband.
It was a $20 bill.
Take my money. I'll pay $100, $1000, anything. Please.
LET HIM BREATHE.
LET HIM BREATHE.
...
What we need right now, in whatever state you're in, is compassion. People who had compassion when they watched the video have laid down their politics, their opinions, their preferences, and their privilege on the asphalt that George died on.
Black Lives Matter is not about politics for us white believers of Jesus.
It is about killing racism so it does not kill more brothers, dads, and husbands.
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We at Sincerely, Kindred have been very passionate about using the language of Black Lives Matter to support and care for our black brothers and sisters. We have a burden to steward our skin color and platform to start conversations about this topic and why millennials and Gen Z-ers in the church must take up this mantle.
If you are struggling to find your role in this conversation, please email us at sincerelykindred@gmail.com. We would love to invite you to a safe place to discuss wherever you are at.