Race relations

I love old black women. You know the ones with great words of wisdom who have such a presence about them. How I love to listen to them speak. They just really seem to get it, you know.

I was reading an article about how the general public felt about Rev. Wright’s recent comments to the media and how that is affecting Obama’s campaign. I noticed the article only focused on the opinion of black people. I’m not really offended by that, I just wonder why. I’ve heard that some black people are supporting Obama just because they want a black person in the white house.

I admit this seems backwards to me. Shouldn’t we vote for the person who is going to do the best job regardless of race? But I’m a hypocrite. I don’t know who is going to do the best job. I don’t know if Hilary’s plan for health care is better than Obama’s plan. I don’t know if McCain can pull together the economy or if Obama’s plan to get rid of the lobbyists is a good idea or not. They can talk to me all night long about these subjects, and I still won’t know. I’m not an expert. Most of us are not experts….even if we think we are. I have no idea what the outcome of their policies will be.

I voted for Bush because he said he was a Christian and had Christian values. I’m not a Bush hater or anything, but I fully admit that just because Bush is a Christian, doesn’t mean he makes good decisions for our country. It’s clear that many of his policies and decisions have been bad ones. So, lesson learned, vote for the person who will do the best job. At the same time, a person without those Christian values may make decisions that I don’t agree with. And frankly, I don’t like that.

This brings me to the Wright vs. Obama fiasco. People say we all have friends we don’t agree with. It shouldn’t affect Obama every time someone he knows says something that seems outrageous. I agree. However, this is not just a friend. This is a very influential man who has been Obama’s pastor for over 20 years. A pastor’s sermons greatly influence a person’s spiritual walk with Jesus Christ. Especially when you listen to those sermons for over 20 years. Obama claims to be a Christian. It’s part of his campaign for presidency. If he disagrees with Wright and he didn’t get his spiritual influence from him, then where did he get his spiritual influence? It disturbed me how quickly Obama tried to distance himself from Wright. Why didn’t he stand up for him? It was clear that Wright’s words were taken out of context. Obama’s response made me feel as though he is more concerned about his appearance in the public eye, than in the truth.

But here’s the other thing that I find interesting about this fiasco. Obama doesn’t want to make race a factor in the campaign for the white house. Yet, a lot of black people do. They want to vote for him simply because he’s black. Why? I think it’s the same reason Christians want a Christian in the white house. We want someone who is like us, thinks like us, acts like us.

I admit that sometimes I forget that we’re different. I’m not looking at the color of the skin. I’m looking at the person as a fellow human being, as a friend, as an individual. I know that’s good. But I think it may also be bad.

Being black runs so much deeper than the color of the skin. It’s an entirely different culture. As white people, I think we all know that. Black people often speak differently, act differently, think differently…as a race as well as individuals. But we forget. Or at least I forget. When I’m the only white person in a room full of black people, I admit I feel very awkward and out of place. I don’t know how to act or how to relate. It’s not bad, it’s just different, a different culture, one that I don’t really understand. And that being said, it occurs to me that white people, as a race, expect black people to adhere to who we are as a race, as though we are the standard to follow. We don’t think of ourselves as a race with our own culture. We think of ourselves as “normal.” – the industry standard. As white people, who are we? What identifies us as a race, besides the color of our skin? And how should we relate to others in light of that?

The Price for Our Sin, Matthew 27:32-47

Do people ever make fun of you? Do they laugh at you? Do they put you down or call you names? What about false accusations? Have you ever been falsely accused of something that you did not do? Have you ever felt like people just don’t understand you or who you are?

As Jesus was lead up to Golgotha, the place of His crucifixion, this is what He endured. He was mocked and beaten by Pilate’s soldiers. His clothes were taken from Him. A crown of thorns was placed on His head with blood running down his face. Isaiah 52:13-15 tells us that He was beyond recognition. Even when He was offered wine mixed with gall, a sedative to dull the pain, He refused. Jesus endured all the agony of the cross, and all that it meant. The soldiers put nails through His hands and feet and placed this man who had no sin, who had done nothing wrong, on a cross to die. He was among criminals, among common thieves. Can you imagine going through this yourself? Can you imagine how that must have felt?

As Jesus hung there on the cross, people who passed by continued to shout insults at Him. They taunted Him and challenged Him. Hadn’t He had enough? What would you do if you were falsely accused? Wouldn’t we stand up for ourselves, defend ourselves, prove that they are wrong. Jesus, the Son of God, said nothing to them. He stayed up there on that cross. He could have come down. But He chose to die voluntarily. If Jesus had responded to their words and had come down from the cross, He could not have completed God’s plan for Him and for our salvation.
As Jesus took on the sin of the world, darkness fell over Him and over the whole land. For the first time in His eternal existence, Jesus experienced separation from His Father. And so He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

The truth about ourselves

Aren't we often still blind to the truth? Especially about ourselves? Sometimes we don't want to admit how sinful we really are. We want to think we're good, and that we do good. It's hard to admit that we aren't. It's especially hard to hear it from someone else. In our pride, we think, "How dare they think I'm like that!" But the wise one is quick to listen, and slow to speak. Is there ANY truth in their accusation? (probably, more often than not.) Still, don't we blame others to take the focus off ourselves? We don't want it to be our fault. We don't want to face a bad situation knowing it is because of our own actions. What I really want is understanding, sympathy, and encouragement. Still, it's important to try and understand what our shortfalls are. To acknowledge them, repent and ask God to help us overcome. Because all too often, there will come a day when it's too late. We've missed our chance. There is no more understanding or sympathy. Our excuses are no longer valid.

Love vs. Anger

Did you ever think about how sweet and innocent falling in love is?...especially with God/Jesus? How it's everything good and pure.

How quickly that is ruined by our sin. Our angry, selfish, prideful thoughts. That innocent, loving, joyful feeling is gone. We've lost sight of Jesus. It's amazing how the simple, yet sharp contrast between the feeling of love and the feeling of anger provides such a clear picture of how holy God is and how evil even the simplest of sins is. How I hate my sin. How I want it all to go away.

The Privilege to Worship

I’m sitting in my office at work listening to Christian music. What a privilege this is. Most days, I listen to my co-worker’s music-main stream "junk," (like music by Britany Spears). It degrades and diminishes the worth of our souls. Christian music lifts up and nourishes our souls. To listen and to focus all my thoughts on Jesus and nothing else...It sets me on fire and puts me at peace at the same time.

There are places in this world where people are persecuted for their faith. They must worship in secret. Hearing Christian music must be such a rarity for them. I wonder what degrading things they are subjected to each day...with no retreat, no right to be treated fairly and equitable.

A Husband Full of Wisdom

As I was praying this morning, it occurred to me how wise my husband is, and I don’t give him credit for it. In self-pride, I think I have all the answers. I don’t take his opinions seriously when I should. Instead, I assume he’s only thinking of himself. It’s not a fair assessment. I must honestly consider his point of view, and be obedient to him. What woman wants to do this? Are there any? And yet, I’m learning, that although I may think he is wrong or I do not agree with him, the absolute best thing I can do is obey. It seems, things don’t really turn out as well when I choose to go my own way. Isn’t this what God wants from us. He prefers our obedience over our burnt offerings. Should I worry that Tom’s decisions, no matter how big or small may not match God’s plan for us? No. God is always in control. I have only to give myself over to Him and trust that He will work it out. He has proven His faithfulness time and again. And He does not change.

Doesn’t every man desire his wife to look upon her husband with adoration and acknowledge his wisdom? To support his decisions no matter how big or small. Why do women fear this so much? Aren’t we afraid that our voices will not be heard? Aren’t we afraid that it means our opinions have no significance in this life? It’s true that history proves this to be a valid fear. The women’s movement in America was a result of the oppression of women. Even today, history is made as other countries are persuaded to democracy and new rights for women who have been oppressed for decades. Where is the man who will stand up for the woman he loves and give her a voice. I believe he is found only in Jesus.
Still, while it may be our desire to fight our husbands to be heard. This is not what God calls us to do. And while our voices may be louder than our husband’s, we are not winning the fight. Instead, we are hurting our marriage, breaking it down. And we break down our husbands with it. Ironic isn’t it. Because in truth, don’t we also want a husband we can look upon with adoration, someone with great wisdom.