This is a quick post on recent events. I used to own a rebel flag. It was to me a heritage and a symbol of pride. To be fair, I grew up in a mostly white conservative church in the southeast. Over the years, I met other white brothers and sisters in Christ that seemed to be aware of other people who were offended and broken-hearted over this flag. Their history under that flag was very hard and oppressive. I did not get this for a long while and argued against these individuals.
Years later, while in college, my university experienced an interruption of a racial nature. Something done by white students offended a black staff member unintentionally. I got to watch this event from the white perspective. I watched friends joke about KKK outfits and showing up at places at night. It was appalling to see this happen. No matter how silly it was for the white students, it was a very real event for others.
Paul shows us in Ephesians 5:21 that we should submit to others in reverence for Christ. In Galatians 3 paints the picture that we are part of God’s family regardless of the levels of brown in our skin. John 17 shows Jesus praying that ALL Christians be united as one body.
Most of us have family members or friends that if they were hurt by anything we would bend over backwards to meet them in their hurt and not bring those things with us on the journey together. If we are one in Christ, why do we act like our brothers and sisters are not deserving of the same treatment? If your fellow Christian is devestated by the symbol you carry, and it is not essential to your faith, give it up for the sake of God’s Kingdom and your reward from God will become evident to you.
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