Do You Talk Like a Racist? Connecting With Our Father. Update.

Do You Talk Like a Racist?

“Racism has been a scourge on humanity for thousands of years. What does the Bible say about racism? Do we unwittingly speak the language of racism?

Throughout history, the Bible has been misinterpreted by different people to condone racism. For instance, slave owners in antebellum America quoted select scriptures to justify their treatment of African-Americans. But the Bible does not condone the idea of one race being genetically superior to another. The Bible tells us: “[God] has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). The Bible is clear that all of mankind is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).

Because all human beings are made in God’s image and have the potential to be in God’s family (Hebrews 2:10), to show partiality or disdain toward a person based on the color of his or her skin is sin.

The Bible speaks out very clearly about the reason that racism and other types of partiality are sinful: “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:8-9).

The intent of God’s law is love toward other human beings. In essence, God is saying that you can’t pick and choose who you will show love toward and who you will not—based on race, status or any other humanly devised factor! God expects us to “honor all people” (1 Peter 2:17).

But if you’re nodding your head, thinking, “I would never talk like a racist,” you might want to think again. Obvious racism isn’t the only way to display racism in our lives.

The language of racism

There is a large body of anthropological research about racism. Racist discourse takes a few general forms:

• Vulgar racism is direct, pejorative expression against someone of a certain race.
• Elite racism is when someone makes a denial followed by a negative presentation of people who are different than he or she is (“I’m not racist, but …”).
• Hate speech is a clear and deliberate verbal assault on people of a different race or ethnicity.
• Covert racism is a more subtle form of racism. A person practicing this would not make openly racist statements, but would show racism in the way he or she behaves. This can include tolerating and laughing at racist statements or jokes from others or using such things as mockery and stereotypes when talking about people.

Christians are expected to control their thoughts and words (2 Corinthians 10:5; James 1:26). It is very important that we overcome any form of racism and not allow it in any part of our lives.

Love your neighbor as yourself

What’s the bottom line? God makes Himself very clear about how He wants us to treat other people regardless of color—with love and respect. Every single human being was created with the equal potential to be born into the God family!

The great variety of human appearances is a product of God’s perfect creativity. But even though people of different cultures and ethnicities have differences, the much greater number of similarities shared by every human being is evidence of the unified purpose God has for each one of us!”     From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/do-you-talk-like-a-racist/?

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Connecting With Our Father

“This weekend is Father’s Day in America. I would like to pause from writing about the heavier matters of the news and world right now. If you will, focus with me for a moment on the Father we have. I am speaking of God. Whether we know Him or not, we have a Father who desires a relationship with His Creation. 

I often think of my physical father, who died 29 years ago. At times I will remember his words and instructions. Growing up I worked alongside him in his business. His words set the pace of work for the day and kept work moving through. People were served, big jobs done and a living was made. Such a mental image was formed for me that at times when I think about him I will “hear” his voice in my memory. It is unmistakable. I definitely bear his image.

I recently read again the opening verses in the book of Genesis describing the scene in the Garden in Eden when God went searching for Adam and Eve after they took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 3:8 says, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” 

There is much meaning in each phrase of this verse. What I focused on is they “heard the sound of the Lord God walking...in the cool of the day.” My marginal reference says it was the “voice” they heard and it was the wind or breeze. Now, much can be said about poetic imagery in this narrative. But just stop to consider the plain fact of what is being said. God came to be with the man and woman as if it was a daily ritual. It was a time when God and humans were together and communicated. They heard His voice.

God is a Father and we can communicate with Him regularly in prayer and study of His Word and through meditation on His glory. When we do this, we hear and we are shaped in His image. It is important we do this daily. I like to do it early in the morning when the other “sounds” of life are lessened. I get busy real quick every day. The phone rings, email beckons, social media calls. So much comes rushing into life. 

It is in the quiet moments of the morning or evening that the pace of life slows. If I read this verse right, it is when I slow down and remove the clutter and other noise that I can hear the voice of God. God created man in His image to have a relationship with Him. Think about your heavenly Father and seek a closer walk with Him. That is the purpose of human life.

The Scriptures reveal God in terms of a family relationship—God the Father and Jesus the Son together make up the God family. Take a moment of study, in the quiet of your day, and read this helpful study (A Family Relationship).

Happy Fathers Day to all our fathers.”

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Honoring Our Fathers

“Fathers deserve respect, and there are inspiring examples of men who sacrifice for their families to provide in difficult circumstances.

Danielle Macinnes/Unsplash

How can you honor you dad?

If you grew up in the 60s or 70s, you will remember the shows like Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet, and many more. The men in those TV shows were strong father figures. I certainly cannot forget to mention Happy Days or Little House on the Prairie with Pa Ingalls, where dads were respected for their wise advice and wisdom.

There were shows like Andy Griffith, and Danny Tanner on Full House represented the single dad. There was no problem they couldn’t solve with a “very special talk.” Many fathers today have fallen into that single dad situation, raising their kids for one reason or another. They have risen to the occasion while holding down a full-time job.

Then there were shows like The Brady Bunch with Mike Brady. The Brady Bunch represented a newly integrated family of six kids. He had three boys and Mrs. Brady had three girls from previous marriages, and they made it work. Mike Brady was still the respected father in the home with wise advice and encouragement for the boys as well as the girls. Many families fall into that category as they strive to bring two different families together.

How does God look at dads? He starts off by commanding us in one of the Ten Commandments to “honor our fathers and our mothers so that our life will be long upon the land” (Exodus 20:12). This is to be done not just once a year when it falls on Father’s Day but every day! The apostle Paul states, “ ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2). The first commandment with a promise: if you honor them, your life will be long upon the land! God takes this commandment very seriously. So how can you honor you dad?

1. Be respectful. You may not always agree, but always be respectful.

2. Say thanks and say it often for all his sacrifice. Don’t take the things for granted that he does for you.

3. Ask his advice. He has been there and with years of experience to share with you.

4. Show him you appreciate him by the way you live.  Do not shame his name. Do this by living his values.

5. Never forget to acknowledge your dad in your own achievements.

6. Remember your dad is not perfect, nor are you!

7. Honor your Father in Heaven first, and then all of the above will come easier for you.

While I do understand that some have had a horrible father, as I did, if you are in that group and cannot relate, we can still show honor to the greatest Father of all of us, our Father in Heaven. This is written to the people who have a father who is working hard to be a loving, hardworking dad.

So happy Father Day to all you dads out there! Thank you for all you do. God notices. And take the time to listen to this wonderful song, “My Dad” sung by Paul Peterson to his show dad on The Donna Reed show.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/honoring-our-fathers

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Update

My large storage unit here has a garage type door, the lift-up kind.  But I can’t lift it, so I just don’t get into it unless someone is with me.  It contains stuff for sale, but with Covid19, no one is buying.  Finally, they had a door-type storage unit for rent and so slowly stuff is being moved.  My helper could only help me Monday morning last week, but I have been over there sorting stuff out on several mornings.  The afternoons are too hot.

Apart from the usual (masked) shopping and chores, nothing new going on here.  The Sunday Bible Study has been cancelled for a long time now, but is going to start back up in July.  The Friday morning Bible Study that my church neighbor and I do at her apartment, never stopped.  We do that to be ready for the Sabbath Bible Study at church the next morning.  This week it was on Zoom again and at the church, and the sermon about Lazarus from the book of John was broadcast on FaceBook again today.