Loving In Color

I had a vision last night. A dark figure moved to and fro across a nation, influencing one person to act a certain way and another to react with negativity, be it violent or peaceful. Many of the actions and words that the creature had influenced seemed good, or at least not violent, but they had underlying tones that spoke otherwise. He continued separating people both as friends and as cultures until the land he haunted crumbled in on itself.

I began to wonder, what was the point of this vision? I had a lot of questions, but the more I thought about it, the clearer it became. Let me give you a couple of examples as to what this whole foresight was about.

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell."

-Matthew 5:21-22

Let's say that you insult a friend in a way that you don't really consider being an insult, but to them, it was insulting. You should apologize for it, regardless of what your pride says because that person is more important than your pride.

When someone has a complaint about something you've done, regardless of what it is or whether or not they believe in Christ, listen to their words, and ponder what they say. Something that you have done is troubling their hearts, and they need to tell you so you can both work together to fix it. It's always more important to reconcile a friendship than to raise yourself up.

This is true both on a personal and a large scale statement.

When an entire people claim that their lives are endangered and that they are afraid of what is yet to come solely because of the color of their skin, what do you do? Do you decide to stand against them because "All Lives Matter," not just black ones? Or, do you put your pride down for a moment and think, "what is it that I could be doing that could make them feel this way? Why do they still think that white people are oppressing them when the white people are just trying to be good, functioning members of society?"

Look, white people aren't evil, and they're not all trying to ensure that colored people fall, we know that; but somehow, the idea seeps into an entire nation, this belief that blacks, Mexicans, Asians, or any other race aside from white, is being oppressed. But it's not the same type that went on years ago. It's a new kind of oppression and not one of our own faults. We label this new oppression as Systemic Racism, a term that eludes to evil, both against colored people and white people. But there's something else at work that we all seem to forget about whenever the word "racism" enters the mix.

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

-Ephesians 6:12

See, all the problems going on in both our personal lives and in America aren't being caused because black people are selfish and want everything to work their way, or because white people are insensitive and want to put them down. This ongoing war is between us and the Father of Lies, the Father of Systemic Racism. He wanders across our nation, causing a seemingly innocent action to be met with hurt, and then that hurt to be met with anger, and that anger to be met with violence. It's what He strives for.

See, Satan hates anything that would be considered "goodness." He wants to wipe it out. Our peoples standing together, regardless of color, is good, so He works as hard as He can to make sure it won't happen.

So then how can we beat Him? How can we try?

For starters, when your black/Muslim/Mexican/Native/white friend posts something on Facebook about how he/she feels oppressed or hurt, don't insult them. Go to them and find out why they feel this way. Listen to them, be on their side, not against them. Not against anyone.

It all comes down to love. If you don't love, regardless of their color or yours, He gets a foothold to pull us apart.

Don't let Satan win. Open your heart to love. Stand together as a nation, as a people, as children of God, and let Him try to separate us in a way He never can.

Just Love.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. "

Colossians 3:12-13