God and RaceSýnishorn

If you’ve ever experienced racism, you know how bad it hurts. When Wayne was just eight years old and living in the Bronx, he watched a white teenager call his mom the N-word and throw a rock that hit his mother in the back. He could tell it hurt her because she grimaced in pain when it happened. But she just looked over at Wayne and said in her deep, calm Jamaican voice, “Don’t worry, jus’ keep walkin’ babee.” As an eight-year-old boy, Wayne was angry, confused, and sad all at once. The way his mother responded was one of the most important lessons of his life. She responded like a champion when she felt the pain of those rocks of racism, like a seasoned veteran taking the high road once again.

Unfortunately, Wayne’s story has happened millions of times, in millions of different ways, to millions of different people. From microaggressions to blatant acts of racism, our nation has experienced deeply rooted racism since day one. Every time we turn on the news or open social media, it seems as though there is another story of blatant racism. Only now it’s in plain view, caught on camera for everyone to see. And each incident hurts. It’s no wonder open-handed conversations about race are so tricky when the pain of racism rocks is real.

Persevering through the pain caused by racism is not easy but you have to keep walking and keep moving forward if you don’t want to be paralyzed by the pain. Suffer enough pain, and you will eventually lose your willingness to engage. Experience enough hurt, and you’ll be tempted to stop showing up. Or, you’ll show up beaten down, with bruises and clenched fists. We persevere through the pain of racism when we’re willing to open our closed fists and be honest in conversation about our experience of God and race. 

Reflect: 

Have you ever had the rocks of racism hurled at you, or have you ever watched someone throw rocks of racism at someone else? What happened, and why?

If you haven’t experienced the pain of racism, can you see why? How has the color of your skin or your life experience protected you from this pain?

What past experiences make you clench your fist and cause you to feel a sense of pain? How do the words of Jesus in Matthew 11: 28 comfort you regarding this pain? And how does the promise of Jesus allow you to keep moving forward despite the pain? 

Pray: 

Talk to God about the pain of racism you’ve experienced in your own life, or the pain you’ve witnessed at the expense of others. Ask God to give you the courage to stay open-handed to having hard conversations about the pain of racism with your community and within your church.