Why am I celebrating Black History Month? Because Black people matter. We might have a good 50 black folks here small Shasta County. I know like five.
I want my black friends, neighbors, and friends-to-be to know I feel for them. Having grown up shamed for simply having black, brown or dark skinned…I see him and I see her.
These last several years brought to light the decades of injustice to the Black Community. Like a yucky zit that popped, racism is growing/building and needs to be addressed.
I am a Christian. I am a follower of Jesus of the Bible and I want to speak up for the Church. The Church has failed in many ways in addressing the oppression of Blacks.
Let’s talk about only 50-60 years ago (less years than my parents age) that segregation was legal… yes, you being black meant stay over here… you being black or your parents being black or your grandparents being black meant you can’t have this house here, you can’t drink this water here from this water fountain… worse of all… you can’t go to this church, have this car, or seat in this bus and so on.
A couple of months ago with the constant attention to the great partiality we see with mistreatments and ill-view towards Blacks, we had a discussion. At bedtime we talked about God’s creation and design. With heartache and deep troubling sadness, I told my five children… “People believed and still believe today that you have black skin you don’t matter.”
My nine year old comments, “Well that’s not ok. That is wrong! We are the same, just darker skin!” Then we went to prayer..
Here’s how we are celebrating Black History Month: listening to sermons, learning about great Civil Rights Leaders, repenting and praying. We will also sit and mourn together. We pray.
We will spend this month in specific prayer. I’d like to invite you to join.
Ask God to search your heart. When you have heard of a black person who has been incarcerated or killed or negatively made the news, was one of your responses: 1) he did something illegal 2) he probably deserved it 3) I heard he was xyz, 4) I bet he was xyz, 5) he was under the influence…etc.
I believe that all people have fallen victim to being partial. It’s our human condition to punish others..let’s pray together some more…
For God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:11
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we have judged a brother or sister based one what we feel makes them deserve pain or death. Help us not to partake in partiality or prejudice but to bring forth your light and gospel, Jesus; you came to this world to seek and save the lost. The lost is all people, all colors and languages. Lord, we pray a special blessing for the black community who just one generation ago had to endure evils of segregation, limitations on where they could simply drink water, sit, work, etc. Forgive us, Lord, heal our land.
Abundant Mommyhood 