Can we hear them?
Cry after cry
Soul weary
Demanding justice
As blood on our white hands drips again into the ground
As air is cut off and pleas go ignored
Last gasp until silence
A life gone, deemed worthless
Hearts break
Anger rises
Voices cry
…They just want to live.
Can we see them?
Choosing clothes
Choosing settings
Choosing activities
Choosing words carefully
Choosing housing
Choosing healthcare selectively
…They just want to live.
Can we hear them?
Teaching their young black kids
Words and posture of respect
Doing all they can to help their children survive
Bird watching
Jogging
Neighbours
Shopping
Sleeping
Partying
Coffee shops
Traffic stops
…They just want to live.
Can we see them?
Denied promotions
Denied fair trials
Denied equal access
Denied a voice
Denied justice
Denied privilege
Denied trust
Denied worth
Denied the freedom to live without fear
…They just want to live.
Can we listen?
Can we hear?
Can we learn?
Can we acknowledge the reality of racism and white privilege?
Can we repent the evil of white supremacy that hides deep in our hearts?
Can we posture ourselves to be educated by those who society is trying to silence?
No longer can we be silent while others are silenced.
We have been handed privilege by birth…just by being White.
We have the solemn responsibility to use our voices, to join the voices of our brothers and sisters of colour.
Photo by Siviwe Kapteyn on Unsplash
They have been telling us their reality for centuries.
Can we finally listen to them, believe them, learn from them, and stand with them?
Where can we start?
We can simply start by believing their experiences.
We can follow and learn from people who are already doing the work.
We can read the books of people who have experiences different than ours.
We can silence the defense and deflection that arises inside us when we don’t like what we’re hearing or reading.
We can call out racism when we hear and see it.
We can use our voice to help change policies.
We can support the work of people of colour.
We can use vocations and talents to strengthen the diverse communities around us.
We can pray that God moves in our hearts.
We can pray for justice to be served.
We can pray for the redemptive work of the only gospel that brings freedom.
We can pray for hearts to love, eyes to see, wisdom to act when we see injustice.
We can pray for boldness and courage to speak up for those denied a voice.
Yes, it’s hard.
It’s not supposed to be easy.
There’s a lot of unlearning to be done.
A lot of education is needed.
We’re going to get things wrong.
It’s work. Uncomfortable work.
But it will take us breaking down our handed privilege to cultivate a more hopeful and equal future for humanity of all colours.
Oh God, may it be so for all those made in your image.
Have mercy and lead us to do this hard work.