Racism is something I never understood. I was born in Brasil, but raised “around”. My military dad travelled a lot so part of my childhood was spent in France, US and Brasil and I had a black nanny, which is my 2nd mom. So maybe I’m not the typical person that was raised in anger against another race and for that reason it is very, very hard for me to understand racism. And I guess I have “genetically” infused this sentiment into my daughters. My older one was six (some 14 years ago) and I was reading her a book about the differences in the human race. Tall, short, skinny, fat, red hair, blond hair, black, white, yellow … then she interrupted me (remember she was six) and asked:
Daughter: “But Dad, what is the color of their hearts?”
Dad: “Red, I guess. They all have a red heart”
Daughter: “Well, then people are not different, after all”
So if we are all the same, why do people hate each other? Moreover, why would Christians hate at all? When Jesus was asked “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Mark 12:28
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
The Coronavirus situation has amplified anger in ways I’ve never seen before. And anger just generates anger. So riots will only generate more riots, more violence, more discord. So Christians are called to amplify the word of God as never before. We can’t bend and hide now. We need to raise above this turmoil and show all what the truth is that we are ONE and we are of God.
And how can we show this? By showing love, indiscriminate and all encompassing love.
“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Romans 12:17-18
And you can do it in simple ways. Instead of just liking a post on Facebook or Instagram, write a few kind words too.
Write them an encouraging short letter and email or PM someone. (Ziglar has the I like you because cards. Very powerful)
Say hi to your neighbors.
Pet someone’s dog and praise it’s beauty.
Compliments someone’s fashion, but be sincere.
Pay for someone’s coffee or lunch.
Offer to help someone that does not need help.
Do something nice to someone and like a virus this microscopic gesture, in the big scheme of things, will grow and eventually infect the whole world with love. But you need to be persistent and you need to be consistent.
Remember 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (my favorite Bible verse) “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not [b]puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
What is one simple thing you can do to show love and appreciation to someone? I would like to see your comments. Be blessed.