The Girl with the Listening Heart

The murder of George Floyd has awoken many white Americans to racial injustice that has been plaguing the United States for over 300 years. Police brutality, over incarceration of people of color, high rates of maternal and infant deaths for Black American mothers and many other issues are surfacing for the white community. I acknowledge that these issues are not new. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college when I took a class on power struggle and structure in a racialized country that I even began to grasp the reality of racial tension in the US. I am white and I understand that I do not know, nor will I ever know what it is like to be Black in the United States. I am unqualified to rally people and inform people on lived experiences of people of color in the united states. I am not trying to explain how racism should make any person in any circumstance feel, I am attempting to use my reading through the book of Psalms as a guide. 

Scripture makes very clear that God is a God of justice. David writes in Psalm 10:14-18

“But you God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.

The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.”

Let’s break this down. V. 14 basically says that God sees. God sees the pain of people who are being oppressed. God sees their trouble and he responds. People who are in pain and who have been hurt commit themselves to the Lord- God. Helps people no matter their economic status, no matter their political status, marriage status, racial status, criminal record, the list goes on.

What does this mean in light of the death of George Floyd and the current conversations around race relations? God sees racism. It does not surprise Him. He sees the pain of Black Americans and the position that tension created by a broken political system. He understands better than I ever could, just how desperate we are for Jesus. Black oppression in the united states is a direct result of the brokenness of humanity.

Verse 15 should make us nervous and bring us peace. As a white American, I recognize that I am a part of the problem. My ignorance on racial issues and Black perspectives has caused pain to people in my life. My silence on issues in my own community has allowed evil to seep into existence. And God is revealing this brokenness to me. God is a God of justice; He does not allow evil to win. He does not allow His plans to be thrown by our brokenness. He is also a God of Grace. God is calling us to search our hearts. He always does, because when we search our hearts, we discover our ever present, ever growing need for Jesus.

He watches as people allow their prejudices to rule their actions rather than their compassion. He sees police brutality. He sees white silence.

I believe that the conversations that are occurring in the news and within communities are an act of Grace. God is revealing to us our role in racism. We are forced to reckon with the reality that we are the wicked man. We are being called to account for our actions, and we are given the opportunity to repent. Lord, forgive us, as we have fallen short. We have allowed the status quo of white silence to dictate our inaction and as a result brothers and sisters are hurting. Reveal to us how you will redeem and restore. Bring racial reconciliation to your creation.

Versus 16-18 show us again that God sees those who are afflicted. God sees the Black American struggle. God sees our active role in maintaining an environment of white supremacy which is leading to Black American deaths. God encourages, he defends, and he brings justice.

This is heavy and I by no means think I’m qualified to discuss this issue. The only thing I’m hoping to accomplish in this is to call believers to action.

To my Black brothers and sisters, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not standing up sooner and not making more place at the table. I am listening and I am praying with you.

To my white sisters and brothers, we have to learn how to live in humility. I pray that you join me in searching your heart. Ask God to humble you and reveal to you how to be a kingdom builder in a broken country. Ask God to reveal to you your own prejudices and complexes that have been built up by a broken world and ask Him to break down walls and bring in His justice.

God is a God of Justice. His justice is greater than anything we can ask or imagine. His Grace is also more than we can understand.

In Christ,

JA