Skin Is Flesh
From the Black & White Blog
Here lately, I noticed that I had become a little bitter about the blatant racism taking place. In fact, it’s what fueled this blog. I wanted to create a space to help race relations but along the way, I see that I need a tune up too. That’s because here lately, I’ve been judging the situation – BY COLOR. Meaning, I assessed the story and then judge the actions BASED ON COLOR. And though blatant racism was a factor, and I was right about it being an ISSUE OF COLOR, AS A CHILD OF GOD, that’s not what I’m supposed to do. And if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, neither should you. Here’s why.
As Christians, we’re supposed to look at the situation – BY THE SPIRIT which means we’re supposed to look beyond the COLOR BIAS, discern the SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE, and take authority accordingly. Unfortunately, for the last few months, that’s not what I was doing. I just saw color. Color, color, and more color which made me even more upset because the more I looked, I could tell they saw it too. (Not everyone but that’s a different post.) I could tell that it wasn’t a question of them needing racial bias training or the fact that some of them were oblivious to the disparities because it was painstakingly clear that they knew. So, for me to continue to think that I could shed some light, byway of my blog on their KNOWN IGNORANCE, is foolish.
What I can do, is do as the Bible instructs, and that’s look at the situation and the people by the Spirit. See it and them from a spiritual perspective which simply means, from a biblical point of view. So, what does that mean?
If you just look at race from a color perspective, you’ll stay stuck which means, you’ll never move any further than being able to point out the blatant disparities, disregard, and disrespect for our culture. If we, meaning people of color, continue to address race from a color perspective, we’ll forever go around the mountain, another four hundred years. Why? Because skin is flesh. And if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, then you know that as a Christian, we are told to not pay attention to or give in to flesh; including our own or those of another color.
Galatians 5:16, 17 says, ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another.’ Contrary as they will forever be in opposition to one another. So, whether I’m looking at your flesh and thinking you’re using your White privilege or you’re looking at mine thinking, I’m just a n****!, then we both are in the flesh, which means were both not paying attention to the Holy Spirit that’s inside us. Because if we were, then we’d know that there’s more to this race war than flesh. We’d get into our Bibles and find out that this race war is spiritual, and we’d seek God and His Word about what we can do about it. Until then….
Pray this with me: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for paying too much attention to the color of skin. Please forgive me for making decisions and judging people based on the color of their flesh. I ask that You’d teach me how to walk in the Spirit and see people according to theirs. In Jesus’ name.