RACISM IS SO YESTERDAY

Romans 12:17-19 - Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

How many of us feel frustrated, uneasy, and violated in the last couple of weeks during the run-up to our country’s 13^th General Election? I am not opining about any political party because I am non-partisan. I am not criticizing our politicians. But don’t you think that it is so easy to want to take sides, so easy to want to point a finger, and so easy to want to make judgments? I have to be honest that I do have the great temptation to be upset, and to make statements that may be strong or even unchristian-like!

When we have so much news (both mainstream and alternative) thrown in our face, endless opinions and write-ups by partisan, self-styled political analysts, and  hordes of Facebook posts that it becomes increasingly so difficult, almost impossible, to sieve through the truth, the half-truths, the gossips, and the lies. It is quite impossible to be objective. Someone said that when we tell a lie long enough it becomes a truth! Just a case in view: the night when we were all glued to the TV waiting anxiously for the results of the GE13 there were so many posts from Facebook that we were literally taken on a roller-coaster ride as to what are trustworthy news. There were so many views, so many reports that came in so much so that after a while we were having information overload. That’s where it started to get blurred; difficult to decipher through the good, the bad and the ugly. We were so emotional because we do have certain expectations, certain hopes for certain things to happen.

Whatever our feelings, we need to come to this basic premise: how we respond to given news should not be dependent upon our emotions and our preferences but rather how the Word of God wants us to respond. Paul was living in the same political scenario; similar pagan and immoral society as we live in today. He was placed in a very precarious position and he has to live his Christian faith in the midst of an oppressive Roman rule that is not only corrupt but also sensual, cruel, and immoral.

So likewise, in our day and time, we need to take heed to what Paul said in Romans 12. He exhorts us to not pay evil for evil, meaning, not to scheme revenge, not to have the thought of a tit-for-tat, an “eye for an eye.” We are to walk in the opposite spirit. We are to take the high road of humility; to see the good even in the midst of evil, to have high regard for things that are good. But truly, the bottom-line is to be a peacemaker – live peaceably with all men.

There may be some in our beloved country trying to take us down the road of racism and we have to rise up and say NO. There are those among us who would like to categorize people so that they can take control and we have to stand our ground for justice, for fairness, and for kingdom principles. But still we need to be peacemakers rather than be the one who is offended and hurt, hurling back insults, spewing out hateful venom and in the process destroying our Christian testimony. I am sure some of us are guilty of saying things rather harshly because of some of the irresponsible statements from people in authority. In our hearts we felt disdain that these people should have known better than spewing out such irresponsible statements. We love this country; we believed that we are called to be here in this generation (an honorable passion) and we want to be seen as patriotic. We are made to feel that some of our country’s leaders want to box us in and to categorize us as “second-class”, ungrateful and not loyal. But just when we show signs of patriotism we are cautioned not to bet our luck on nationalism because it is only reserved for a particular race. Nationalism is monopolized by one race. Other races are disenfranchised. Let me reiterate: I am just saying out loud that we are made to feel this way!

Let me conclude: pray for our country, love our country, and always be a peacemaker. Let us love our neighbors as ourselves. The children of God are red and yellow, black and white. Our nation is multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-religious – beautiful and wonderful. We can live in unity in the midst of diversity. Let us live as God’s children. Let us let our lights shine. Let us make a difference in our nation by being peacemakers – and in all times, be peacemakers! Racism is so yesterday!