Racial Pride

 

Racial Pride

                         It is amazing to me that there is so much emphasis on pride when it comes to race in a society that says it is against racism. If we are not to be prideful about our race, then shouldn’t we just be silent about our race? But the underlying issues go much deeper than pride or silence.

                         I would appreciate you thinking for just a moment. Really, I want you to honestly think about my next question. When, at what specific point in time, did you decide the year of your birth? I don’t ask that in order to be comedic. It is an honest question. When did you decide which era to be born in? Was the 20^th or 21^st  century your first choice? There really are a lot of conveniences that come with this era. I mean really, if you had decided on 317a.d. you wouldn’t have had an XBOX not to mention the total lack of espresso. Now had you decided on 1427a.d. there would have been some conveniences over 317a.d. but still it would not have been the modern society we have today. So, you made a good choice. You decided to be born in the late 1900’s to early 2000’s. Right?

                         Ok, well maybe not. But you did decide to be born into a wealthy family of British royalty. Not British? OK, maybe you chose to be the child of an American icon. At least you didn’t choose poverty. Right?

                         Possibly some of those options were not available to you. However, since there is so much pride in race we can certainly understand you choice of continents. The Asian continent is certainly a better choice than the Artic. And if not there then you would certainly have chosen the European over the South American. Right?

                         Is this stupid enough yet? Prior to your birth you had no choices at all. You did not choose to be born in any era. You could have been born in 317a.d. just as easily as 2067a.d. And you could have been born in poverty as easily as in royalty. You had no choices. You could have been born an Eskimo, a Russian, a Pigmy, or even a giant brother to Goliath. All choices were completely out of your control. You came into awareness after you were born and simply realized, “Wow, I live here with these people. And I am going to have to deal with it.”

                         If you do not believe in God, then it was all random chance, and you have nothing to be proud of. If you, as I do, believe in God then there was a real divine purpose every step of the way. But again, my pride is replaced with His purpose. I have nothing I can be prideful about concerning my birth. Either it was random chance or it was Divine design. Either way pride goes out the window.

                         We are all people created by God. We can take no credit for our existence in time, location or status. God decided where we would be born, when we would be born and in what circumstance we would enter this life. God created people. Is He partial to any one skin tone more than another? Does He love one class of society more? God is the redeemer of all. And all come to Him for grace and redemption regardless of status or race. When the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” there were no exceptions or stipulations. He meant “whosoever.”

                         No matter you status in society or your national heritage, God loves you and wants to save you. You do not have to spend eternity in hell. Unlike your choice of skin color, your eternity is your choice. God is calling out to save you, BUT THAT CHOICE IS YOURS.