Title: 'RACIAL HARMONY' - from Prayer Art Set by Rev.Bola A.
'Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth'
.—1 John 3:18
For practical steps to advance racial harmony in the church and racial justice in the world,
here are some things I would recommend:-
1. Develop a biblical view.
We must personally develop a spiritual and biblical perspective on “race” and ethnicity in the saving plan of God. Our attitudes, thoughts, and actions must be shaped by the renewed mindset of the will of God, not “conformity to the world” (Romans 12:2). Consider:
»»God created humanity in his image (Genesis 1:27).
»»God made all humanity from one common ancestor (i.e., Adam; Acts 17:26).
»»God purchased from every tongue and tribe a people for his very own by the death of Christ (Revelation 5:9).
»»In Christ, we have been united into one people (Ephesians 2:14–22, 4:1–5).
»»Christ calls us to love one another as he has loved us (John 15:12).
»»Christ calls us to love our neighbors across racial/ethnic/religious barriers (Matthew 22:39).
»»Christ calls us to make disciples of all ethnic groupings (Matthew 28:18–20).
2. Read history.
Become knowledgeable about the role of “race” in human history, world history, and U.S. history. We will not “understand the times” (Matthew 16:3) we live in very well without understanding how we came to where we are in the world today. And we will not understand other people very well either. Read stories of the lynchings in Duluth in the 1920’s. Read about slavery in America. Read of the relationship between Americans and Native Americans. In reading, abhor what is evil and resolve to cling to what is good (Romans 12:9).
3. Be informed.
Race and racial issues are in the newspaper every day. Take notice; read in order to discern and understand the times we live in and the people we live with.
4. Come to a conviction.
Name “racism” and the sins of racial exclusion and favoritism (James 2:9) as a present problem. Be fully convicted in your own mind about racial harmony as you seek God and ask him in faith to make known to you what you should be convicted about (Romans 14:5; James 1:5).
5. Develop an honest self-awareness.
Plead with the psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts” (Psalm 139:23). Similarly, confess your own sins in regard to this issue, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long ... I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:3, 5).
Show compassion and mercy through visible displays of love—weeping with those weep—to those who have been afflicted through racially motivated sins. “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).
7. Build relationships with people ethnically different from yourself.
Intentionally pursue relationships with people who are ethnically different from you. You are free to do this because of the work of Christ, “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). Carl Rogan and Larry Agnew are a beautiful display of this kind of intentional relationship building as they have linked arms to pursue greater degrees of racial harmony.
8. Appreciate different cultures.
Eat foods from other cultures. Go on a short term trip. Study a culture online or at the library. Watch a documentary. The multitude of cultures in the world are now so easily accessible. Take advantage of technology and “vacation” to another culture.
Be quick to forgive those who have committed racial sins since you have been forgiven much in Christ (Colossians 3:13).
10. Do justice.
The prophet Micah calls us to do justice, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Look for ways to pursue justice. Write a letter to a congressman. Advocate for the oppressed. Adopt a refugee family. Adopt a child. Do justice.
11. Rejoice in hope.
Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Our hope is in God. He will finish what he has started. We can rejoice in hope that one day all peoples will unite with one voice in the praise of the Son (Philippians 2:9–10; Revelation 5:9).
12. Pray. In all of these practical steps, pray. Make prayer the hallmark of your efforts in pursuing racial harmony. Through the prayer of the saints, may God make you worthy of his calling and fulfill every resolve for good work of faith by his power (2 Thessalonians 1:11).
I pray that these 12 steps will help you as you advance racial harmony in your families, in your relationships, in your communities, in the church, and in the world.
(From work by Kenny Stokes - Practical Steps Toward Racial Harmony)
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