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I’m not sure what to say, but that doesn’t mean I can be silent…
To My White Friends: Remain Curious {The Daily Dash: April 14, 2021}
IN THE NEWS:
- 100 days to summer Olympics
- 3rd night of protests in Minnesota
- Americans buying less toilet paper and wipes
- National Gardening Day
IN THE WORD:
Our Lord’s cross is the gateway into His life ~ Oswald Chambers
IN MY LIFE:
The shooting of a 20-year-old black man, Daunte Wright, happened three days ago as the George Floyd murder trial pushes into its third week. As a white woman, I don’t always know what to say in moments like this, but I can imagine how I would feel as someone’s mom if my child was taken from me. So I look to the Lord, listen to friends who don’t look like me and ask questions when appropriate.
I was actually listening to “Walk with Me” by Wanda Sykes on Apple Fitness this morning. She started talking about everything that’s been happening with racial relations and the police in our country, but what struck me most were her closing remarks: she ended by saying, “I don’t know, and that’s OK.”
She feels like as a black woman if she says she likes the police, she’s a sellout. But she was also quick to say our views are shaped by our experience. Because she had a good experience with a helpful cop while in college, that has influenced her. But she is also keenly aware of the fear and divide that exists between races today.
My friend Kristan (who is in an interracial marriage) also had words that inspired me on this topic. Part of what she said included the following:
“Sometimes taking care of each other looks more like sitting next to another, without the right words, holding together a space that can be full of feelings that, maybe, we don’t even want to feel. Sometimes taking care of each other is listening, learning, and believing when their experience in the world is so different than the one I’ve known…”
One of the things I’m learning most as I get older is that life isn’t a question of either/or, but rather both/and. It’s OK to be deeply angered over recent events AND still support police. It’s OK to not know what to do and yet want to take action AND not remain silent.
Let’s face the facts: if you aren’t a member of a certain race, gender or culture, you can’t possibly understand how they feel on a daily basis. So the best thing we can do right now is posture ourselves in a position where we can listen and learn, suspending judgment and doing what we can in our own homes and communities to stop perpetuating hate, ignorance and intolerance.
Another black friend said, “When we stop asking questions, that’s when we lose our humanity. Remain Curious.” We don’t have to figure it all out or walk away with all the answers, but we do need to start talking to each other.
PRAYER FOCUS: Kindness
The Bible tells us to “be kind and loving to each other” in Ephesians 4:32. I can’t think of better words to pray over you today.
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Hope you have a great day, make sure you make it great and don’t forget to tell someone you love how you feel about them!
