This Is Why Black Lives Matter

This week I thought it might be helpful for me to share my heart and some of my own recent personal convictions on the issues of racism and social injustice (which I will continue next week as well). I ask you in advance to please give me grace for any errors in the way I may say this. I may not say the perfect thing in the perfect way. My goal is just to be a part of the conversation and to be a voice instead of remaining silent.

I’m going to be super honest and transparent. I specifically remember a time a few years ago when the phrase “Black Lives Matter” irritated me a little bit. My instantaneous thought was “All Lives Matter”. However, my perspective has shifted. I NOW accurately see the viewpoint of Black Lives Matter. Whereas before I believe I was ignorant and uneducated in my own limited perspective.

I had a misunderstanding of what the phrase meant. It does not mean that black lives matter more than other lives or that black lives are more important. The phrase is merely pointing out a marginalized and oppressed group of people that are suffering injustice. This is not a statement to exclude other lives but merely a statement to focus on the hurting ones.

Analogies

If you know me, you know I love analogies. Recently I’ve seen some really good analogies for this Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter conversation. You’ve probably seen some of these floating around social media. Some of these did play a role in my eyes opening and in my shifted viewpoint.

There was the analogy of a house fire and “all houses matter”.

Then I also heard it as a comparison to going to the emergency room. Everyone in that emergency room matters, but there are some with life threatening injuries or conditions which become priority at that particular time. They will get treated first even though everyone there is important and should be taken care of. In THAT moment there is a higher priority BECAUSE all lives matter.

A scriptural analogy

One of the most eye opening analogies I heard was from our youth pastor, Greg Scott, as he spoke to our students. He was encouraging our students to stop saying “All Lives Matter”. Then he pointed out from scripture that this concept was nothing new.

In the Old Testament God had a covenant with the Jewish people. They were considered his family, his children, his chosen people.

“For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.” Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT)

However through Jesus, God opened up the door to his family to adopt new children into the family.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)

Jesus not only sacrificed his life for the Jews but also for those outside the covenant, the Gentiles (non-Jews), for all who would accept him. By doing this God in essence was saying “Gentiles Matter”. Even though every human being matters to God, the Gentiles mattered. Even though he was the God of the Jews, he was the God of the Gentiles.

“After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.” Romans 3:29 (NLT)

“He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: “For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name.” Romans 15:9 (NLT)

“For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.” Ephesians 2:14-16 (NLT)

Jesus, the Savior of all, the Savior of the marginalized

Jesus came to be the Savior of all. To Jesus all lives matter.

““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 (NLT)

“He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” 1 John 2:2 (NLT)

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

BUT…Jesus also specifically revealed himself as the Savior of the marginalized. To Jesus the marginalized and oppressed lives matter. To Jesus black lives matter.

“When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”” Luke 4:16-21 (NLT)

Notice that the scriptures did not read “to bring good news to ALL…that ALL will be released, that ALL will see, that ALL will be set free”. Indeed these things ARE true for ALL, as Christ came for ALL. However, the scriptures are very strategically written here to call out the marginalized, discriminated, overlooked, ostracized, and oppressed. God targeted marginalized groups that have known oppression.

Take Some Practical Steps to Show That Black Lives Matter:

• First, stop responding to Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter.

Saying All Lives Matter can potentially be more divisive and can take away from the unity to which we are called. Saying All Lives Matter takes the focus away from those whose lives are being threatened. Consider the analogies mentioned above. Focus on the hurting.

• Then, suffer with those who suffer, because their lives matter.

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ… If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.” 1 Corinthians 12:12, 26 (NLT)

**I had anticipated adding some other things that God is having me work on personally in the realm of racial reconciliation, but it’s going to be too much for this one post. So check back next week where I’ll share some of what I’m personally doing to work on racial reconciliation and doing my part, and I’ll give you some resources too!

Has your perspective shifted about “Black Lives Matter”? If so, tell us about it by leaving a comment below!

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