Much More Than Black and White | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Much More Than Black and White | Previous Challenge Entry
By Peggy L. Dunn
08/23/23
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Much More Than Black and White

Misunderstandings cause intolerance and divide God's beautiful creation, drawing lines between them that people may only cross miraculously. Having persnickety tendencies, I often see some of my friends as peculiar and others as preachy. Some of my friends are black, and I am white. We love one another, but with deep conversation, clouds of doubt appear – unspoken thoughts – wondering. Understanding and trust are needed - but how?

My parents taught respectful treatment of everyone regardless of ethnicity, culture, financial status, or religion. I accepted this way but had little opportunity to engage closely with others outside our circle. I now realize my naiveté limited my understanding of many things.

One of my first unfriendly misunderstandings happened when I was an ignorant, wide-eyed teen. I met Charlotte, whose family was uninhibited, loud, and too funny. And almost everyone smoked like a chimney. I heard no mention of church-going. I was quiet and anxious. Charlotte peered at me unkindly, suspiciously. She later told me she hadn't liked me because I was a preacher's kid, thinking I felt superior.

Our husbands became fishing buddies and put Charlotte and me together intentionally. Soon we became regular companions in cooking and taking care of our families. In sharing activities, we created a bond and corrected our mistaken judgments, discovering we had many things in common. And better yet, we helped one another improve in many ways. “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17 NKJV Our differences became the spice of our loving relationship, as Charlotte became my closest and dearest friend.

My friend Amara, an African American, and I share family values. Our grandparents were all hard-working farmers who lived honorably. As Amara and I enjoyed sweet friendship and respect, shadows of the long past at first hindered our unity. The thoughts that her family's history had possible records of folks enslaved, and mine suspected of involvement, were unspoken.

I learned from Amara. She told me that all the boys of her race received "the talk" about how to behave with policemen or anyone approaching them and that they must guard their words and actions to avoid unfair accusations. I’m glad she explained how such fears and restraints exist. Amara comforted me and won my heart as we worked together to care for my mother in her last weeks. Acknowledging our hurts helped us shun the shadows of doubt.

Although the world screams against such knowledge, God’s love spans all ethnic and socioeconomic statuses. Now, we hear many previously unspoken differences and opinions of others in our world shouted in the streets. I realize my experiences are trivial compared to what we see, which is terrible confusion, deep darkness, and needing the light of God's love. Healing is possible only through faith in Christ - faith in loving, trusting, helping - and understanding that each person is responsible for their part in the solutions.

The Bible explains authentic and healing God-kind of love: "It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV

What Charlotte, Amara, and I gained came through our kindred faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We experienced the light of Christ - He is the great equalizer.

“In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:11-12 NLT

Oh, that all may accept Christ, to become set apart and know how dearly loved by him - to understand this!

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