As I write this blog, it is January 20, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States. So, I determined to revise a
popular blog from several years ago that still speaks to us today.
Martin Luther King, Jr. had a history-changing impact on the United States through his commitment to nonviolent civil-rights activism. His “
I Have a Dream” speech in Washington D.C. in 1963 was an historic inflection point, changing the course of history in our country.
If anyone should be committed to racial equality and non-discrimination, it should be Christians. The Bible is unambiguous about it, and speaks to four reasons why we should not discriminate.
- We have all been created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27)
Since we are all created in the image of God that means that every human being has inherent and infinite worth. It also means that no one human being is worth any more than another human being. This remarkable truth elevates us all without inflating us, and humbles us all without debasing us.
- The Bible declares that we are all equal. (Galatians 3:28)
In God’s eyes, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female… and by implication, neither one color or another. All humans are equal in God’s eyes. Because all humans are equal in God’s eyes, all humans should be equal in the eyes of Christians.
- Jesus said, “Do unto to others as you would have others do unto you.” (Luke 6:31)
If we would not want others to discriminate against us, then we ought not to discriminate against others. This is the Golden Rule applied to the subject of race. It is the biblical principle Abraham Lincoln was drawing on when he said, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.” Each Christian is obligated to walk in the shoes of others, and treat them the way they would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
- God intends for us to experience unity in the midst of diversity. (1 Corinthians 12:4-26)
God has created the universe with stupefying diversity. In the universe, in our planet, in our human body, and in the Church, God’s diversity is beyond comprehension, yet all parts are to contribute to the welfare of the whole, and the whole is to contribute to the welfare of the parts. It should be as the Three Musketeers said, “
All for one and one for all.”
The South Africa Example
If we have been wounded by someone for any reason, including racial discrimination, our challenge is to forgive. This is easier to say for someone who has
not been discriminated against than it is for someone who
has. But easy or difficult, the Scripture is clear.
Jesus said, “
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
This is the magnificence of what happened in South Africa when apartheid was officially disbanded. Led by the enlightened conviction of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, South African blacks chose to forgive the discrimination inflicted on them by whites rather than to reverse the discrimination, which would have led to a future of endless violence.
They rightly saw that that decision was the only one that could bring about a future of promise. This collective decision by blacks in South Africa is radically under-appreciated, and is one of the great bright spots in the history of democracy. The Forgiveness Project web site has collected scores of remarkable stories of forgiveness, which magnify the incredible power of forgiveness. (
http://theforgivenessproject.com/stories/desmond-tutu-south-africa/
Conclusion
I do not want to suggest that those who are discriminated against should lie down as doormats and passively accept it. Our political system and culture allow for ways to address discrimination, but to get off into politics and strategies takes us deeper into the subject than we can go here.
My desire in this blog is simply to make the point that God, Jesus and the Bible have the answer to discrimination. It is wrong, and should not be practiced or condoned. And, those who are discriminated against must forgive. The outworking of those truths can be exceedingly complex and challenging, but those are the biblical ideals toward which we all must strive.
As Christians, we have the biblical answer to the racial conflict in our nation. While we cannot single-handedly solve the problem for our nation, a beginning point for each of us is that we should
live the answer and
proclaim the answer. We may be called to do more, but we must not do less.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day presents an opportunity for us to remind ourselves of these important truths.
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