I, like so many others, am struggling with what to say. I know what happened to George Floyd is wrong. I know that his death is the latest in a long line of wrongful deaths NOT an isolated incident. I know that things have to change. I know that I want better for my brother and for my future nieces or nephews. I know that most police officers are good. I know that color is a part of who we are, but that it is only a part. I know that I want to be a part of the solution, not just NOT a part of the problem. I know I am broken hearted and I am sorry. That’s about all I know!

I have been watching and I have been listening. I have been doing my best to be open and trying to understand. And, to be honest, I feel like I am hearing a lot of different information and expectations. So, I am left unsure of what to do and say. I have gone back and forth on what to say or if to say. But there are a few things that have been repeated in most if not all of the things I have heard and watched and seen. One of them is that silence is complicit. So, I will share some of the action steps I have heard asked for from me.

Something I have heard as well is that there are a lot of white people, like myself, who want to do whatever we need to do to help move our nation from systemic racism to systemic change. We agree that what has happened is wrong! We agree that we don’t understand! We agree that we have been a part of the problem explicitly or complicitly and we want to be a part of the solution instead!

Some of the action steps I have heard asked for in order to make this change are education, conversation and advocacy.

We should educate ourselves about what IS happening in our country right now that perpetrates or flat out is racism. We must also educate ourselves on the history of racism in our country, so that we can understand the depth of the pain and cost to the black/African American community. We must educate ourselves on what we have or are doing to perpetrate this racism. We must educate our children on the importance of color as a gift to us from God. A gift of diversity meant to deepen, strengthen, and broaden our individual experiences. You see perspective is a powerful thing. It can totally skew reality to a mirage or it can change a mirage into reality. This is because by it’s own definition perspective is limited. It only shows one side or a partial view of anything. That doesn’t mean that perspective is a bad thing, just that it needs to be recognized for it’s limitations. We must take our perspectives and talk to others about their perspectives and remain open enough to REALLY listen to their perspectives and allow their perceptions and perspectives to be added to ours to allow for a more rounded reality. This is one of the most valuable kinds of education we must seek out because it will likely come from our friends and family of other colors and perspectives than ours. And, we can gain the most for those that mean the most to us. We must also be committed to educating our children. We must educate them that all people are valuable because they are people. They are valuable because they are created in the image of God. We must also take it a step further and educate ourselves and our children to advocate and stand up for others when we witness racist or even divisive actions.

The other thing that I have heard asked for is conversation. Find a family member or friend who is ready to talk and have the uncomfortable conversations AND I would add the comfortable ones. Have true relationships. Invest in each other and find out the good, the bad and the ugly together. This investment will pay dividends in developing a broader perspective and the ability to move from sympathy to empathy. That move is another thing that I have heard asked for and Christians commissioned to make. If you do not have the blessing of a friend or family member who is a person of color, then I would encourage you to involve yourself in one of the multiple conversations that people of color are offering on Social Media. They are offering to listen to and answer your questions. The other thing to remember is that these will not be comfortable conversations and NONE of us are ready to have them until we are ready to truly listen. This means we are willing to hear ugly things about ourselves and that we are committed to changing those things. Also, just like racism is not the fault of person’s of color, but is a reality that they have to face, every racist action or reality may not be our fault, but changing it and bringing healing from it IS our responsibility.

I know there is much more to hear, learn and do. These are just a couple of the things I have heard asked for and that I am committing to doing a better job of.

The other MORE important thing I am committing to is prayer. Prayer changes impossible things. Prayer changes impossible people. Prayer changes me. MOST importantly prayer brings the Prince of Peace and the only Perfect Intercessor into an impossible situation. Left to ourselves we focus on ourselves and maybe on our families sometimes. We see our perspective as the whole picture and we leave no room for other’s perspectives to change ours. Prayer helps us to have God’s perspective (the only one that sees the whole picture). Prayer helps lead us to and in the humility we need to change who we are into who we were meant to be.

I hope this post is helpful. I hope this post shows that I am listening, learning and changing. I hope and pray that this post brings comfort to the hurting and glory to Jesus! I pray for each of you and I have SO much to learn. What action steps have you given or heard. Please share so that we can learn from each other!