Really??? So I wouldn’t have been able to play with my friends? I wouldn’t have been able to go to the same school? These were questions my 9 year old niece reportedly asked about segregation as she internalized the movie, “The Help”. The concept was so foreign to her. How cool. I don’t think even I internalized it that much… Apparently the concept wasn’t quite as foreign to me. I had read it in history books, seen it in the movies, written a paper on it, designed some shirts about it and experienced it in different social circles.
We can celebrate how far we have come as a nation, but recognize there’s still more room for improvement-especially in our inner thoughts. Depending on which race you are, you may heartily “amen” me, or tune me out. “Not enough has been done” Versus “Enough has been done” towards restitution, right?
I’m not talking about either of those concepts. I’m thinking more along the lines of the “racist remnant”… or the “reactive racist.” You know… The “it’s-okay-if-I-make-deprecating-comments-about-“caucasians/people not like me”-because-I’m-black/a-minority, but-if-they-do-the-same-of-me-all-hell-will-break-loose” Racist.
And we engage with mindsets like this even amongst our own fellow beloved church people. The” I’m-still-waiting-for-“man”-to-pay-me-back” believer.
There’s no justification for any kind of mindset like this in God’s Kingdom from either “side”… though there shouldn’t be “sides” in His kingdom. But the issue is we have not reconstructed our minds to the mind of Christ. We’re stuck in human activism and rights alone. Forgetting that Christ demonstrated the greatest human-activist cause of all time. If a human-rights cause is not connected to the heart and purpose of God, it’s still in vain. Believe me, he knows how precious we are to Him. He gave His life in exchange- so we can live His life in turn. His life, His way, His standard… His love.
Not every caucasian is racist and not every non-caucasion is a non-racist, and since this movie gave me such a perfect template to bring up some of my observations, I figured I would. The number one reason it gets such a high rating in my humble opinion also, is because of the very important point that was brought up during the church service. The preacher reminded us about “loving our enemies.” This gave the courage to the writing of the book. And this point also gives us no room for reasoning or excusing in our responses to life’s matters such as this.
Check your heart, do you justify a biased attitude because of the wrong that was done in the past or present? Is there a superiority/inferiority complex in place? Do you really LOVE your diverse “brothers and sisters” in the Lord? If there’s nothing else to call it, then we can at least call it unforgiveness… and this also has no room in the Kingdom of God.
Ask God to “help” you see people the way He sees people.
