Breaking Mental Myopia: “Black Lives Matter” (Part Two)

Look and listen for the heart of the Father in the words that people are speaking BEFORE you click “share.”

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To read Part One, click here.

 

The core issue that hundreds of thousands (perhaps even millions) of people of many shades are crying out about right now is racial bias and excessive (or undue) force in policing.

Yes, there are other agendas happening simultaneously and yes there is debate over the validity of the variety of existing statistical studies, but racial injustice is at the crux of the “Black Lives Matter” conversation.

This is not a political issue. It’s a humanity issue. It’s one that the Father cares about because all lives matter to Him from womb to tomb.

In Part One, I explored why it is important to separate the absolute truth (and the Father’s heart) that “black lives matter” from the specific organization Black Lives Matter.

Today, I want to share one significant way that mental myopia (in this case a Republican/Conservative lens rather than a Kingdom lens) is wreaking havoc on our ability in the body of Christ to pursue healing and oneness that can impact the world for His glory.

(Don’t worry, next I will address the same for a “Democratic/Liberal” lens rather than a Kingdom lens)

Mental myopia is showing up with conservatives sharing as many Black conservative voices as possible in order to “prove” that a conversation related to injustice and/or systemic racism is not even worth having and is simply a “myth of the Democrats.”

Forget the myriad of statistical studies (that can all be debated) just for a moment. If you have a conversation with 10 black people (particularly men) and listen to their stories you can start to see a different point of view. It’s not only about being shot and killed while unarmed or running away from the police, it’s also about the stops (for doing absolutely nothing), the unnecessary handcuffing, the chokeholds…people are not making these stories up. People are daily having traumatizing experiences due to implicit racial biases as well as overt racism.

As Christians/Kingdom Citizens we can ill afford to be driven more by politics and power than the Kingdom of God.

Here are six recommendations for consideration on how to operate with a “Kingdom first” lens as a Republican/Conservative, particularly if you’re struggling with the conversation surrounding black lives mattering.

#1: Look and listen for the heart of the Father in the words that people are speaking BEFORE you click “share” or spread the message around in your circles.

Slow down and check with the Holy Spirit to ensure a Kingdom perspective. Just because someone is passionate, doesn’t make it aligned with the King. Discerning God’s voice (or lack thereof) within their voice is important.

#2: Only share those voices who align with God’s heart and His WAYS, not only with your preferred political ideology.

There are many videos being shared where perhaps there is some alignment of truth in the message, but there is NOT an alignment of His WAY. The King wouldn’t make a point by consistently mocking, ridiculing, or slandering. Check the fruit!

#3: If you are creating your own videos, posts, and memes as a Republican/Conservative, ensure that you also are aligned with God’s heart AND His WAYS when communicating.

(Quick shout out to Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina who has been a great model of caring less about politics or popularity, and caring more about helping people. He recognized the need for police reform which is why he has been a champion of it working across the aisle since the Walter Scott shooting.)

#4: Be open to listening to Kingdom voices who have done the work – pursuing oneness and approaching the gospel from both a spiritual and social perspective to impact lives and communities.

I recommend Dr. Tony Evans. Here’s a link to a 6-minute simple video explaining systemic racism:

#5: Be willing to do the work to determine your own implicit biases.

Everyone has them. Knowing that can help you in your own relationships, but also can give an understanding of how those biases mixed with those in authority in a stressful job can be problematic. It’s not about guilt or shame, but awareness. It helps with both relational and emotional intelligence.

#6: Resist the urge to change the subject.

Don’t despise the conversation and the work for injustice, racial bias, and police reform. Yes, it’s only one piece of a bigger puzzle but it’s still a piece that God cares about. Again, it’s not a political issue (nor a “Black vs Blue lives” issue), but a humanity issue.

I truly believe that in the midst of this chaos, God is moving and I also believe that the body of Christ has an opportunity that we shouldn’t miss. Let’s move in partnership with Him and carry His heart to one another and the world around us.

 

Written By: Shae Bynes

 

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on kingdomovereverything.life.

Featured image by dole777 

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