The World Upside Down Part 1 Divided by

The World Upside Down Part 1: Divided by Race

A Little Background Interactions with my Wife: Morgan and I have conversations before bed about the situation expressing frustration at forced opinions and the impact of social media Interactions with my Coworkers: A mix of side comments, a crushing blow to dialogue, and then trying to lead by example Friday evening June 5 th, I start contemplating a lesson in the Upside Down series, but I have significant reservations. On Sunday June 7 th, I bounce the idea off the running group. The first reaction is negative. Fifteen minutes into the run it becomes apparent that we need a lesson, and LBS is the place to have this discussion. Unknown to me, Pastor Greg delivers a sermon around current events that morning, providing a perfect backdrop to this lesson. If you didn’t hear it, you should listen to it.

Pastor Greg: Stormy Seas “There’s not a reasonable person who doesn’t understand that putting your knee on someone’s neck for 8 minutes isn’t right. ” “There’s not a reasonable person who believes that looting and burning down buildings will get the problem solved. ” “There are some things you don’t get over. ” If you heard the sermon, what portion do you remember or would you like to discuss?

Lesson Objectives I intend, to the best of my ability, to present this lesson while leaving my current opinions about the situation at the door. I ask that you do the same. The purpose of the lesson is not to frame your opinions about what should / shouldn’t be done, or why what took place could have been avoided or shouldn’t have taken place. If you get uncomfortable at some point, that’s not my intention but it may not be a bad thing.

Two Questions – Paul Style Should the church be silent on matters of race in the United States? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Should the members of the body of Christ be afraid to speak up on matters of race? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Where do we Start? Entering into this conversation, we have to be honest about ourselves and our church (even if we don’t like it). We are a majority white church, with middle-class affluent suburban families (nearly 90 % of evangelicals are white) Our church does not have a significant number of African-Americans, particularly those from more challenged socio-economic groups (inner city, single parent, low income, etc. ). Most of us will not (or have not) personally experienced racism on the level that minorities may experience. Many of us, may have grown up hearing, or being exposed to opinions and patterns of speech that may be deeply offensive to someone from another walk of life (and vice versa) This can make conversations within the church difficult because we may be speaking into a bubble. This makes conversations outside of the church challenging because we bring very different backgrounds and experiences to the table.

Race in the US For many of us (myself included), the issue or race feels like something we should have moved past because we didn’t experience it, and our parents (or grandparents) were probably the benefactors of race issues in the US. For many others, the issue isn’t old or forgotten. A significant number of people are still alive who experienced the pain of Jim Crow laws and the civil rights movement in the 1960 s. The US church has a tarnished record on the issue, and unfortunately has often chose to remain silent for fear of impacting evangelism. Consider the following from Billy Graham in 1952, from an interview with a Jackson, MS Newspaper. “We follow the existing social customs in whatever part of the country in which we minister. As far as I have been able to find in study of the Bible, it has nothing to say about segregation or non-segregation. ”

Why this Matters Our significant difference in backgrounds means that we may receive and respond to information and events with understandably different viewpoints. When we have personally experienced a similar situation, we also tend to be more cognizant and sensitive. Speaking personally, our family has been impacted by drunk driving. We have personally experienced the impacts it can have when you lose a son and brother. We are certainly more sensitive to jokes and behaviors that impact this. Speaking personally, I have never had a bad altercation with law enforcement. I have never been arrested, questioned, or approached because I matched a description of a white person. It is very difficult to ever imagine how I would end up in a situation like George Floyd.

“Bond with Those In Your Boat” How do you do this when your social circles are composed of people who are largely socio-economically similar, if not racially similar, to you? You may have opportunities to influence those around you such as your family or close friends. Take a moment to read opinions and material that you may not agree with, and then try to practice the principles we discuss today. My guidance is to pray for opportunities to arise, and when they do, don’t be afraid. When the conversations do arise, I want to discuss some biblical principles that should guide our conversations. The following guidance assumes you are having a conversations with a reasonable person. I do not recommend conversations with unreasonable people!

Matthew 5: 9 Blessed are the Peacemakers Romans 12: 16 – 18 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone's eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. How do we avoid being wise in our own estimation? How do we live at peace with everyone in these situations?

Are you Wise? Proverbs 17: 27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a person of understanding. Isaiah 5: 21 Woe to those who consider themselves wise and judge themselves clever. Proverbs 26: 12 Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 3: 7 Don't be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. You have two options, and both lead to the same conclusion. A) You are wise and you should restrain your words. B) You think you are wise but you are not. You definitely should not speak.

Application: Entering the Conversation If you do think you understand, then restrain your words. What does it look like to restrain your words? Don’t approach the situation assuming your position is the only correct one. . Don’t enter the conversation seeking to apply your knowledge, seek to gain new knowledge. LISTEN rather than SPEAK ASK QUESTIONS, with TACT & DISCRETION Some of my own experiences at work have altered my own opinions.

The Fallacy of Social Media Conversation Social Media is not a good place for these conversations to take place “It’s not about your hashtag – it’s about your heart. ” - Greg Matte People don’t get on social media to be changed – they get on social media to be heard.

Live at Peace with Everyone

Living at Peace Application: Choose Not to Be Offended 1 Corinthians 9: 19 – 22 Although I am free from all and not anyone's slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law -- though I myself am not under the law -- to win those under the law. To those who are without the law, like one without the law -though I am not without God's law but under the law of Christ -- to win those without the law. To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. Application: Don’t get offended at the response. Try to understand the motivations behind the response.

Should we Speak Up? Many of us will find ourselves in the following challenging situation, perhaps with family, coworkers, or even friends. In these safe groups, opinions may get exchanged that are blatantly hateful or racist. Usually participants will be quiet because most people struggle with confrontation. This is normal. What should we do as believers? Do we have a responsibility to speak against injustice? ABSOLUTELY! But how?

Application: Speaking Up Remember the story from Daniel 2? Daniel 2: 14 “Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. ” Proverbs 15: 1 A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. Be aware of escalation, and don’t fall into an argument.

Finally: Pray for The Mistreated, The Church, and our Opportunities Hebrews 13: 3 Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though yourselves were suffering bodily. Take some time this week to pray for the following: 1. Those who are mistreated by the society that we live in and by the institutions that we trust to defend us. 2. For the body of Christ – the church – to be unafraid to speak about issues of race and not be afraid to be counter cultural. 3. For you, when opportunities arise, to be able to understand the issue and empathize.

The World Upside Down Stay Tuned for More to Come!