Thursday, September 22, 2011
What I learned from my son about race...
Joe Don was in first or second grade when it happened. One of the couples we ran around with, traveled with, and did ministry with were Josh and Doris Owusu. Great spiritual journey story. They had a son, Drexell, who was about JD's age so they spent a lot of time together. Josh and Doris were from Ghana and they were very dark complected. Very.
Marsha was cooking supper when Joe Don asked the question: "Mom, did you know Drexell was black?" She said yes, as a matter of fact she did know that. Joe Don was fine with that answer and off he went to play.
But for a long time we wondered what prompted that. Who told him Drex was black? Or did Joe Don just notice it and think it was cool. Was it just a fact like Drex was taller. It wasn't a big deal at our house. In fact, it wasn't a deal at all. So we didn't make a big deal about it. And it sure didn't faze our son.
But here was what it reminded us to be aware of: we live in a world that wants to point out the differences between us. We felt like someone may have tried to take away some of our son's innocence.
It's a tough world and prejudice still exists. But we also learned that what is taught at home is more powerful than the world. And we never had talked about race. Hadn't needed to at our house. The Owusu family was our family. Their home was our home.
So when we did start to talk about race as they got older, we made it a point not to focus on the superficial -- like skin color. We talked about how alike we were. God made us all. God loves us all. Jesus died for us all. As they got older, we talked about how we all shared the same baptism and recieved the same Holy Spirit. We are true brothers and sisters in the family of God.
Pretty much the same stuff I say today. And what I think my kids are teaching their kids.
And what we Christians know. What will make the world a better place. Not better race relations, but better Jesus relations. That is what will stop the sin of racism. And every other sin.
Marsha was cooking supper when Joe Don asked the question: "Mom, did you know Drexell was black?" She said yes, as a matter of fact she did know that. Joe Don was fine with that answer and off he went to play.
But for a long time we wondered what prompted that. Who told him Drex was black? Or did Joe Don just notice it and think it was cool. Was it just a fact like Drex was taller. It wasn't a big deal at our house. In fact, it wasn't a deal at all. So we didn't make a big deal about it. And it sure didn't faze our son.
But here was what it reminded us to be aware of: we live in a world that wants to point out the differences between us. We felt like someone may have tried to take away some of our son's innocence.
It's a tough world and prejudice still exists. But we also learned that what is taught at home is more powerful than the world. And we never had talked about race. Hadn't needed to at our house. The Owusu family was our family. Their home was our home.
So when we did start to talk about race as they got older, we made it a point not to focus on the superficial -- like skin color. We talked about how alike we were. God made us all. God loves us all. Jesus died for us all. As they got older, we talked about how we all shared the same baptism and recieved the same Holy Spirit. We are true brothers and sisters in the family of God.
Pretty much the same stuff I say today. And what I think my kids are teaching their kids.
And what we Christians know. What will make the world a better place. Not better race relations, but better Jesus relations. That is what will stop the sin of racism. And every other sin.
