Racial reconciliation is a big topic. Big topics feel like they need big responses. They feel like I need to do something big and drastic like Dr. King making his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, DC in front of an estimated 250,000 people.
But for most of us, racial reconciliation will happen when we hear the words of Dr. King and others respond by making changes in our actual, day-to-day lives.
Racial Reconciliation is a Spiritual Matter. It is no accident that Dr. King was the Reverend/Pastor/Dr. King. Racial reconciliation is a spiritual matter.
Have you read the powerful passages of Revelation 5 and Revelation 7:9-17? God is in the process of saving people from “all tribes and peoples and languages”. If you are not working as a part of that process, you are living contrary to God’s work.
We must join God in His work of bringing all nations together in worship of Jesus.
Racial Reconciliation is a Personal Matter. Of course this important topic must be addressed together as churches countries, but all of this must begin in our own hearts and lives first.
Take a moment to take inventory of your life:
Look at your family. Are there any people that are a part of your family that don’t look like you? Are there any multi-racial marriages? Any multi-racial families through adoption?
Look at your closest friends. Are there any people that don’t look like you?
Look at the people who have been in your house the past month. Are there any people that don’t look like you?
Look at your church. How about there? Anyone that doesn’t look like you?
Ask God to change your heart. I’m going to assume that for many of us, there is much room for improvement. The start of this improvement needs to begin in your own heart. We need more of God’s heart for people who are different from us. Pray that God would give you His heart.
Ask God to open your eyes to tangible changes you can make. Several years ago now, I began to pray that God would bring more people who didn’t look like me into my home. I have been shocked at how He has answered that prayer. Due to the nature of my life, pastoral ministry, and household dynamic, I typically have 20-30 different people in my house in a given week. Many of these people self-select coming to my home for various reasons (church groups that meet in my home primarily), so being open to this change and prayer seemed like the best options for us. It has been amazing to see God answer that simple prayer- to watch the growth of people walking through my door that don’t look like me. I have an internal chuckle with God every time it happens these days.
Ask God a similar prayer that makes sense in your current life dynamics. Ask Him to bring more people into your life that don’t look like you. Ask Him to open your heart and welcome people from all nations into your life and watch what God will do!
I love you guys,
Brian O’Day
Brian O'Day 