I grew up in a time when going to a local shopping mall, Valley Hills Mall in Hickory NC to be exact, was the high watermark of the weekend. As with most malls then, and the malls that still see traffic today, there were various kiosks spread throughout the upper and lower levels. All manner of trinkets, skincare products, and toys were sold to passersby who were unfortunate enough to make eye contact with the person working the booth. Around Christmas there would always be the arrival of the 3D pictures called “Magic Eye.” You remember them, right? The poster size picture of a random pattern full of bright colors that had an image hidden in plain sight. At least that is the story I was told.
I could never, and still to this day cannot see whatever image is hidden there. I’ve tried all the tricks and followed all the instructions of those who can see the picture in less than a minute. Nothing I’ve done works. As a kid it frustrated me to no end to have people tell me what they were seeing and not be able to see it for myself. However, the family and friends that saw the images were telling me the truth. They could describe in vivid detail what I couldn’t see and I believed them. My inability to see didn’t change the reality of what was there, even though I couldn’t see it myself. They had no incentive to lie.
This is a metaphor for how I approached the issue of racism, systemic racism structures, and injustice in America. I grew up largely unaware of the ongoing struggle for many brown and black-skinned in the United States. For most of my formative years it was an inability to see the issue due to unawareness. In that season of life ignorance was indeed bliss for me. Through high school and college I was still largely unaware and unaffected by the struggles of others. Then by God’s grace, in the fall of 2016, the scales fell off and I was finally able to see what had been hiding in plain sight, the ongoing oppression and killing of people for the color of their skin.
It was September 21, 2016, a rainy Wednesday, sitting around a conference table with six other pastors where the picture of what was the reality for so many began to take shape. As Winston, Billy, Valentine, and Corey shared their experiences of being black men in America I realized ignorance was no longer a plea I could make. Their stories brought into sharp relief the difference between the America I knew as a white male and their experience of a different America altogether, simply because of their skin color. They made no attempt to condemn me, but they took on the role of educators. Slowly, painstakingly they helped me to begin to wrestle with what it looks like to be a committed follower of Jesus in a country that is still marred by the ongoing sin of racism. It was an education meant to inspire action on my behalf. They had no incentive to lie.
Since that moment I’ve worked to educate myself in regard to the issues and systems of racism that exist in our country to this day, because they were woven into the fabric of the founding of our country. Beyond that it’s been a season of learning how these views have been covered for and incubated in the church in America. Racism is a national and ecclesiastical sin that needs to be confessed and repented of. Beyond that there is the need for us, as white believers, to work to dismantle the edifices and scaffolding of racism that still exist in our country. God is a just God and the work of justice in this fallen and sinful world is the work God has called us to. God does not lie to us.
Psalm 9:7 - “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice”
Psalm 33:5 - “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord”
Psalm 89:14 - “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you”
Proverbs 18:5 - “It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice”
Proverbs 21:3 - “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice”
Isaiah 1:16-17 - “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause”
Micah 6:8 - “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Jesus, just before telling one of his most memorable and oft quoted parables, “The Parable of the Good Samaritan,” was asked by a lawyer, “And who is my neighbor?” Today, Jesus would say our neighbor is George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and everyone else who was lovingly and fearfully made in the image of God.
I’m still learning. I still have blindspots. I still have moments when I worry what others will think but I’m committed to continuing to move forward. I'm committed to pursuing justice as an outworking of the gospel in my own life.
We don’t have to lie to ourselves anymore. We can get to work.
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