Wow! As I sit here writing this post, I cannot believe it’s been a couple years since I wrote a general post on social media. However, I’m writing this post because I am saddened and tired of wearing the mask of the pandemic that is racism. It’s weird, I feel little anger but the predominant feeling is deep sadness. I feel saddened as an American, but most of all as a Christ follower.

When I came from the beautiful island of Barbados, it took me a while to understand the racism that exists in America. Yes, I am black, in fact when I did my Ancentry.com test, it said that I was about 95% West African. Some people joke that I may be related to my wife because we look somewhat alike. That conversation is for another time. It was difficult for me to understand because, where I spent the first twenty years of my life, I am a first-class citizen. I grew up the youngest of six children and was raised primarily by my mother with the help of my older brother and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors. My mother was earning about $BDS 80 ($US 40) a week when I was born, but I can’t remember any time when I didn’t have everything I needed. In fact, sometimes I had things that I wanted and desired.

To make a conservative guess, at least ninety-five percent of our politicians, doctors, lawyers and teaches and police officers were black while I was growing up in Barbados. Many of the politicians had one or two degrees, some in more than one discipline from prestigious universities like Cambridge or Oxford. The thought of not being able to achieve something because I am black has always been and will always be foreign to me (you have to deliberately stop me). I think the vast majority of Barbadians (Bajans) believe the same. I really feel sorry for people who look at me and think otherwise. It tells a lot about those types of people. I know who I am in Christ, but I also know it doesn’t exempt me from being treated from the effect of overt and covert racism in the US. In fact, I have experienced overt racism, which literally brought me close to my death with a police officer’s gloat at point-blank range.  Yet, I will always respect law enforcement officers, not just because I believe that most of them do a fantastic job but because I was trained to respect authority.

I also experience, the covert racism that many black people experience on a daily basis. I teach my daughters never to let anyone fool you to think racism does not exist but always aim to succeed and exceed despite of the obstacles. Some people may say I am naïve, but I am convinced the vast majority of Americans do not get up every morning and plan to be racists. That’s a very good thing, but it is also why racism is so difficult to eradicate. Racism is a resident evil in the hearts of some people which is learnt and passed on from generation to generation. One of my favorite preachers had a phrase that I like. He likes to say, “culture runs deep.” Racism only exists in the church because world culture runs deeper than Kingdom culture for many people who call themselves Christian.

I believe America is still better than most of the world when it comes to matters of race. I always tell my daughters not to get too relaxed and excited just because they got the highest grade of a B+ in the class when they are capable of getting an A+. How can we as Americans lecture Russia, North Korea, China, Sudan, Venezuela or Cuba about Human rights when we have a plank in our eyes. Jesus once told group of people, “First remove the plank from your eyes and then you will see to clear the speck from the other people’s eyes.”

I definitely do not condone violence even if it is retaliatory and I can’t recall any time when violence caused a good outcome. I appeal to anyone, who thinks that burning or looting will help our cause, to stop and think. It only provides a distraction and a cope out for those who do not know how to address the real issue.

I am tired of people quoting civil rights leaders just because it sounds good. Instead, let’s quote from Genesis to Revelation where it talks about justice and love. Sometimes I feel some people simply quote because they want to silence, quiet and pacify people who are protesting.

I am tired of people focusing more on how people are protesting than why they are protesting. Two months ago, no one was burning or looting. Two wrongs do not make a right but the reason some people are burning and looting is because they are tired and feel hopeless. When people feel hopeless, they can become dangerous because they feel like there is no hope. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and his righteousness. As Christians we need to help attract people to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. That’s why I believe we need to continue to pray. Prayer changes things.

However, I am tired of people saying to pray or our prayers are with you simply as a cope out or cliché phrase. Let’s do like Queen Esther, pray, even fast if we want to and do even if means upsetting a couple friends or family members or losing a couple tithes or offerings. I believe that if we are doing what is right in the eyes of God we will not perish.

I am tired of some Christians who only see three sins, abortions, LGBTQ lifestyle and not being able to have the assortment and configuration of guns desire in a timely manner. Please don’t misunderstand me. I am a husband to one lovely lady and the father of three beautiful and intelligent daughters who we, with guidance of God, are training to be effective godly women. When I heard that heartbeat for the first time on three different occasions, there have never been any doubt or confusions about if there was a new life living inside my wife. I believe the Bible is clear when it says that God created male and female and shows that marriage is between one man and one woman even though several people in the Bible times chose not to follow. I believe that people should have the right to own a gun to protect themselves and even hunt deer (not human beings). However, if I am reading the same Bible from Genesis to Revelation, I see a lot more about Kingdom living, justice and love than those three topics.

I am tired of seeing Christians not calling out leaders who, though they may be superficially friendly towards the church as an institution, habitually display behavior than is not Christ like and at times say things even dangerous. I say “superficially friendly,” because you cannot be a real friend of the Kingdom if your behavior makes it more difficult for Christians to have a dialogue with non-believers. On the other hand, it means that Kingdom ambassadors will have the opportunity to shine brighter. God can use anyone, even though it seems that some people conveniently forget the definition of “anyone.” It is important that as Christian we support leaders who promote and support Kingdom principles but we must not show blind loyalty to anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Be loyal to Kingdom principles not to a person simply because they say the word, Bible, pray or because they are saying what you want to hear. I love my wife dearly but if I hear or see her do something that is against what I know to be right, I am the first to tell her.

Being tired does not mean that I should give up. Jesus said, whoever is weary and burdened and come to him to him will receive rest. Let us receive and enter that rest but let us take action and do something. May be nothing extraordinary in our eyes but something. The Word also says that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. As our strength is renewed, let us be effective in what we say and do. I ask God to help me deal with people one at a time. You can come across ninety-nine people of one ethnicity, nationality or gender who are bad but the hundredth person may be good, even a best friend. It doesn’t mean that you don’t use wisdom and take precautions but let the love of Christ rule in your hearts, challenge yourself and love for real. To my fellow Christ followers, remember not to deceive yourselves thinking that you can love God without loving others. As Bajans would say, “Luv one another and shame de devil.” God bless!

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