Why Black History Month?
This post appeared in the Feb. 11, 2022, Branson Globe in the “Reflections” column.
Browsing through some Black History Month materials, I enjoyed and found them educational, but wondered why it takes a special month to appreciate people based on their skin color. And the barrage of “Stop the Hate” decals on helmets and shoes during the NFL playoffs, vitriolic debate about Critical Race Theory, and criticism of police whenever race is involved, make me wonder how on earth we got to this point.
God didn’t intend it this way. And if everyone believed and obeyed the Bible, it wouldn’t be. Every act of violence or oppression in recorded history can be attributed to people groups or leaders ignoring the fact that humans are created in God’s image and should treat one another as such. The book of Genesis details the creation of humans, starting with Adam and Eve. Not different couples of different colors, but one Adam and one Eve, with genetic potential for fascinating variety in their offspring. For those who enjoy scientific detail, Ken Ham’s book, “One Race, One Blood: The Biblical Answer to Racism,” gives excellent explanations, but basically, we either believe the Bible or we don’t. Revelation chapter 7 tells us people from every nation, every tribe will be worshiping in heaven at the end of the age.
The Apostle Paul clearly believed the Genesis account and referred to it in his discussion with Greek philosophers recorded in Acts 17: “From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands” (v.26). Interestingly, the Greeks didn’t really pose an argument but rather, many wanted to know more. Paul’s statement answered a question they obviously had—they had gods for just about everything, but realizing there were some things that just couldn’t be explained, they also had an altar “to the Unknown God.”
Sometimes people question the Bible’s seeming approval of killing such as occurred when Israel entered the Promised Land. It is important to remember those people groups got off the ark with the same information the Israelites did; they had centuries to get it right, and some did. Abraham himself tuned in to God’s voice even though he was born into a pagan family. At Jericho, the innkeeper/prostitute (depending on which translation you use) Rahab realized there was something special about Israel’s God, and her life was spared. People groups experienced judgment for wickedness, and the Bible records slavery in cultural context, but nowhere does the Bible condone oppression or violence based on skin color, and in the New Testament, Paul makes it clear that everyone, no exceptions, is equally important to Jesus (Romans 10:12).
That said, most of us have absorbed biases of one type or another that, sadly, affect our relationships with others and our unity in Christ. We must address those. However, it is important not to ignore Biblical principles in an effort to right historical wrongs. Scriptures such as Micah 6:8 (“Do justice; love mercy”) are interspersed with commands about obedience. Government policies that throw money at low-income families or fund abortion, without addressing root problems such as father-absent homes and lack of Biblical morality, do not honor God. As Christians, we must set the example our world so desperately needs by allowing the Bible to speak to us and inform our decisions and interactions with fellow humans created in God’s image.