Racism and Our ResponseSýnishorn

What if It’s All Too Much?

When racism and discrimination dominate the news and devastate communities, it can all feel like too much to bear. We consciously or subconsciously protect ourselves by blocking out the problems we feel incapable of solving, and we end up desensitised to the trauma that, for some people, is a daily reality. Let’s take a closer look at how Jesus calls us to respond when we’re confronted with the suffering of others.

In the parable of the good Samaritan, we’re told the priest and the Levite – both devout men bearing religious responsibilities – saw the injured Jewish man but actively avoided him (Luke 10:31-32). Perhaps there have been times you’ve literally, deliberately, crossed over to the other side of the road to avoid someone dodgy. And none of us is above choosing to live in a kind of denial: looking but not seeing and listening but not hearing.

The needs of the world are overwhelming. The challenges are ever growing and perhaps you feel you have nothing to offer, or you don’t know where to start. Maybe the first step is recognising how your heart may have grown hard, or how you may have become desensitised to the plight of those in your community. Next, remember that, despite the enormity of the challenges we face around inequity, Jesus commands us to love our neighbours as ourselves and He holds up the good Samaritan as an example of how that plays out. The Samaritan stopped – filled with compassion – and took pity on the injured man. Perhaps it’s time to stop in our tracks and allow our hearts to be moved with compassion for those in pain. Let’s stop long enough to suffer with those that suffer, without first assuming or judging. Practically, this might mean drawing wider margins in your day’s schedule, so you can go a little more slowly, and give yourself time to see, stop, and step in.

Throughout the Gospels we read that Jesus was often moved with compassion when He was preaching the good news and healing the sick. Jesus is with you on your daily commute. Imagine how He would interact with the different people you speak to, sit next to, or pass by. Compassion yields action. A compassionate heart reflects the heart of God, and He always moves towards the broken hearted, to heal. Following the example of the good Samaritan is hard and holy work, but the restoration and joy that it brings is worth it.

As you consider racial discrimination in your current context, may you not become paralysed by the gravity of the need. Rather, may God soften your heart and give you the wisdom, courage, and resolve to follow His compassionate lead and pour out His love. May you remember that the smallest act of kindness can be profoundly significant, and that it’s possible for you to be a good Samaritan too.