The "R" Word

Racist...a label that most people that truly know would not want pasted on them. Call me fat. Call me ugly but racist is one of those names that break my heart. Yet it is a label that we sometimes are all too quickly to paste on someone. Is it a label that applies to people....yes! Yes! In this world there are people, unfortunately many people who are racists and many of them VERY proud of it. There are people who call people racist who themselves (if you look deep into there hearts) are racists as well.

I can be very complicated...

When I was a high school, my mom came home from work. She was a high level executive and someone wanted to file suit again her because she let them go. The woman who was let go called my mom a racist. Oooo, when I heard that word I got mad. I mean MAD! I hurt like the first time I was called the "N" word.

You see, my mother is the sweetest, kindest and most loving person you could ever meet. She treats every person with respect and dignity but more importantly love. She modeled Christ's love to me in such an amazing way. And I need to mention that she is white and my father was black. That word, however, did not reflect my mom. I remember saying, "What do you need me to do Mom? Do you want me to come to court? I will tell her. I WILL SHOW HER!!!" But my mom reassured me that her work performance would speak for itself. She hadn't done what was required of her and that would be enough.

As an adult, I look back and see the amazing character of my mother. She could have had my dad in court. She could have toted us saying, 'See, this proves it!' But she didn't. She took Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words to heart for his children..."where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." My mom was judged on the the color of her skin. She's white. She's a racist. Her character ignored. I have heard people call this "reverse discrimination" but really it is just plain ole racism!

God doesn't want this either. This judgement we pass means nothing. God calls us to love. Love the unlovable...cause that includes us. He asks us to be a reflection of His unfailing love. He asks us to "treat our neighbors as ourselves." Mark 12:31 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." Matthew 5:44

I dated a guy in college that wanted me to meet his family. He lacked telling me one thing. His father was a racist. A "N" word using racist.Well, he told me about a half hour before I met him. It freaked me out! But in the time I knew his dad, I treated him with respect and love. I treated him the way I would want to be treated. I spent weeks at his house. His dad would take me on his boat and years later after a failed engagement that ended disastrously, his father called me months after the engagement ended to tell me that he loved me and that he was sorry for the way things ended. He loved me. I cry now thinking about.

That's why God calls us to love.

Part of Dr. King's Dream speech says this...

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."

I like that dream. How's your love today?

Simple please!

Why is it that we have to struggle with something constantly? I found myself in prayer this morning saying the same thing I think I have said for years...."I'm struggling with this...." and this time I couldn't fill in the blank. How is it that we can get in the habit of trying to be where we were years ago. Why is it that we get in the habit of struggling. And it is a habit.

Free dictionary defines it as this...

A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.

An established disposition of the mind or character.

It is a behavior and a mind set. I am in the habit of brushing my teeth, feeding myself, sleeping, etc... I also have a habit of calling myself "stupid", "dumb" and "unimportant". And worse, I have a habit of struggling with something  all the time. And sometimes it is God.

The sad part is His message is simple...

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Highly intelligent people can over analyze ideas and concepts to the point where they are unrecognizable. Simple things like walking or even sleep patterns. Gaining understanding is good. Complexity is not. We were not built to live complex lives. We were actually built to live simple ones. 

Think about it...

I was reminded of the garden this weekend. The best and greatest garden there ever was...Eden. We were supposed to just chill with God. A simple life that we made complex. We make things crazy instead of easy. Adversity will happen. Things will change but when will we decide to choose to not get wrapped up in drama and just be, rest in our powerlessness and move "...one step at a time. One moment at a time. Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace." as the Serenity prayer goes.

I am ready to get back to the simple. How about you?