WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Constant police harassment and being hashtagged is one thing, but there’s no racism quite like that everyday racism:

‘You’re not like the other nigroes’ or ‘You’re not the right fit’ or ‘I don’t know about her!’ or ‘You did it right, but I expected you to do it THIS way’ 

or ‘I know you have the credentials and the passion but tell me again why you think you’re the right person for this position’ or ‘Try harder fitting in’ 

or ‘You’re arrogant (the new uppity)’ and countless other evils that aren’t as obvious as ‘keep your head down like a slave’.

The truth is that we all think bad thoughts all the time, and I’m sure that there are epic internal battles being waged, visually, I see nothing and that says a lot.

So let me start: I remember years back how I thought that one of my employers short changed my pay. And in my head (never aloud) I thought “Well, he’s Jewish, so...”

It took me a while, but I finally got up the gumption to confess it to him personally. Now he had every right to fire me but he chose instead to laugh it off.

Since then I expose my Anti-Semitic conditioning along with many of my other failings, not because I’m some sort of masochist (at least I don’t think I am),

but because The Almighty calls us all to be better and this is one way (boasting about our weaknesses); to work out our salvation, to fear God rather than men and trust in the redemption that cost Jesus suffering, separation and finally his life,

I expected to be in a very, very long line, meaning everyone’s so busy opening up about their sin as Scripture teaches that I have to wait my turn.

But come to see that I can go right up to this window - no waiting. It’s funny how it NEVER gets much easier. I agonize and hold back and make excuses for why I don’t need to ALL THE TIME!

But I remember a dude named Arthur who studied the Bible with me some 32 years ago along with Frank and  Vincent and the two women who lead me to them - Noralie and Janet.

Arthur was a white guy who asked me if I were the only christian around (or left), would God find faith on the earth or would the words of Jesus die with me?

Later I would watch him confess his lustful thoughts to us. After that I would see him call out another white brother out for shortchanging my Scripture grade. 

And he did it in a way that said ‘We do these things because we’re white and of course we don’t see it because why would we?’

And then I saw folk who probably never met Arthur or Vincent or Frank doing the same thing and it inspired me.

But the words stuck with me: What if I were the only one? And Arthur is dead now - cancer. But he lives on.

And my conviction is that the only thing I need fear when I leap out in faith is not leaping at all.

Be well.