COLORS OF LOVE: Black Roots in the Bible, Part 2

Source: Newsweek III
(Jan. 11, 1988) 46-52

I've always loved studying the bible.  Who wouldn't with the richness and depth of the characters it chronicles.  And you can't beat the story lines.  Everything an avid reader like myself looks for: mystery, intrigue, love, and adventure!  

Still I have to say it sure got a lot more interesting, once I found out there were colored  folks in there!  No, I'm not being politically incorrect, it's really a point of clarity. Someone once said when asked: Where are the black people in the bible? That a better question is:  Where are the white people?  

Duh...do you know geographically what part of the world the bible stories come from?   Its roots are smack dab in Africa and the Middle East!  In fact the very first book, Genesis tells us that the Garden of Eden was at the site of four great rivers:  Pishon of Havilah; Gihon of Cush; Hiddekel (Tigris) near Assyria and the Euphrates (Gen. 2:8-14). Generally speaking, the Fertile Crescent.  The countries of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq are situated along this area.

Even considering that the Great Flood changed the topography of the earth and makes it impossible to say for sure where the Garden of Eden is located.  It still gives us an African and Middle East reference point for our bible stories. We can say much about these countries, past and present but for the most  part they have retained their ethnic identities of black and brown people.

Let's cut to the chase.  Here are some recognizable names of Colored people in the Bible.  We can identify them by the origins of their names; birth places, and like today, their ancestry.  If you'd like to do your own research, check out a list of books I recommend at the end of this blog:

• Queen of Sheba (I Kings 10:1; 2 Chron. 9:1; Matt. 12:42)
• Zipporah, Moses' Cushite wife (Num. 12:1)
• Ebed-melech, eunuch that saved Jeremiah's life (Jer. 38:7-13; 39:16)
• Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)
• Hagar, Sarah's handmaiden (Gen. 16:1, 3)
• Pharoah Tirharkah (2 Kings 19:9)
• Asenath, Joseph's Egyptian wife (Gen. 41:45)
• Simon of Cyrene, carried Jesus' cross (Mark 15:21)

The Bible is multicultural.  A book for all colors.  God's grace knows no color line. We all come from common ancestral parents which makes us brothers and sisters.  Redemption is free to ALL who will accept Jesus as Savior.  Let's practice living together in peace right here on earth for certainly we will be doing so in heaven as ONE NATION OF PEOPLE (Rev. 21:24-27).

UNTIL NEXT TIME....

Additional Resources:

--Beyond Roots: In Search of Blacks in the Bible, Dwight McKissic

--Beyond Roots II: If Anybody You Who I am, Dwight McKissic

--Are Blacks Inferior To Whites, The Dispelling of an American Myth, Tony Evans and

Dwight McKissic

--The Black Biblical Heritage: 4000 Years of Black Biblical Heritage, John L. Johnson

--Black Presence in the Bible and the Table of Nations, Walter McCray

  

THE COLORS OF LOVE: Racial Diversity in the Bible, Part I

Unless you've been living under a rock, you cannot deny that America is fiercely divided by race!  Even though we have a bi-racial president and strides have been made; we've yet to learn how to live as a multiracial diverse society!

Years ago we bragged of being Christian and the Melting Pot of the world, but sadly evidence shows the opposite.  Racial violence is on the rise and although disproportionately victimized, even non-whites are drinking the water!  Colorism (prejudice or discrimination based on skin color among people of the same racial group) prevails at many levels.

Bleaching creams are still top money makers in the cosmetic industry while it appears that darker skinned youth prefer lighter skinned youth to bully or demean on social media.  It really depends on what is on trend in popular culture.  One year we're celebrating darker hues in movies, fashion, or music)and the next year light, darn near white icons!  Why can't we celebrate it all?

The Bible may not be a perfect example but one I think Christians can learn from if we truly want to know how to live, work, and minister in our present day climate of racial volitivity.  Why it is not referenced more often as a model is another matter!

It was only in the 1990s that I became aware of any racial diversity at all in the Bible!  All the pictures on my Sunday school card as a child (we didn't have fancy curriculum) showed white Bible characters. Moses and the people of Israel were white.  Joseph and Mary were white.  Jesus and His disciples.  Especially, Jesus because there was a big picture of Him in every church I attended.  White Jesus was even on the fans we got from the funeral home!

What a shocker to learn that the Creator has a penchant for color even when it came to the crown of  it all-mankind (Hebrews 2:7).  People of all colors and ethnicities tell the Bible narrative of God's love and grace for His people.  He presents them in the fullness of their humanity showing the world their True colors--not their Skin color!  People are just People.  They can be magnificent in intelligence, beauty, and leadership and yet flawed and depraved in their selfishness!  

We must learn to see them the way God does through the Color Lens of Love!  

"And hath made of one blood all nations of men

 for to dwell on all the face of the earth,

 and hath determined the times

before appointed,  and the bounds

 of their habitation."

(Acts 17:26)

 NEXT WEEK: PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE BIBLE!

Until we Meet Again..

THE REAL DEAL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!

In every relationship there are stormy seasons!  Some storms roll in suddenly and blow over just as quickly, while others linger so long that they gradually become part of the climate!  Marriages can certainly be like that and speaking from over forty years experience, there have been many stormy days when I wondered...What was I thinking when I said, "I do!"

But that's not the only time I feel like throwing in the towel!  Trying to get along with individuals whether a spouse, a child, or a sibling, is becoming more and more challenging. I often sit and shake my head ...WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?

We live in a world that is less people-oriented (sensitive to the needs and feelings of others) and more self absorbed! I guess that's why I find myself turning more and more to the LORD, rather than relationship shows to help me through difficult times.  He reminded me of these points:

Good Relationships don't start with Perfect people or matches in personality - They begin with our relationship with God.  How can you or the person you're trying to relate to do so in harmony if they have no concept of what a real relationship looks like? Read Matthew 22:37-40 .  Where does the model of love come from?  It begins with God.  Much of the chaos we experience in our relationships stem from the fact that (a) the person doesn't know God OR (b) they don't love themselves...and how could they if they don't love God!

Good Relationships take work on both parts - Sacrifice is a given if you want good relations.  Burger King love doesn't exist in real life! (Having it your way).  Most of us feel that we're doing most of the sacrificing.  But is that the truth?  This is where we must take an honest look at ourselves and examine the core values in the relationship?  What am I willing to give up to keep these in place?  If they line up with the Word and what the Spirit is confirming in your heart, you must persevere! Galatians 6:9-10 gives a promise...you will reap a harvest in due season.  But only you and the Lord can decide if it's worth waiting for the harvest!

 Good Relationships take time to develop and mature - Continual maintenance is required!  Beware of becoming too comfortable in our relationships (Prov. 14:1). Foregoing those things you used to do when you first started to connect!  An old song has a lot of wisdom in it...The same thing it took to get your baby hooked, it's gonna take the same thing to keep her (him)!  We are quick to blame someone else for coming between a once close relationship when the cause of most failure is sheer neglect!  

Good Relationships are built on mutual respect and trust - Each person is responsible for their own integrity, no matter what phase the relationship is in (Prov. 5:21). When is it  okay to betray a confidence?  Just because you're not best or close friends does that give you the right to impugn their character?  Here's a great quote to remember: Trust takes years to build and only seconds to destroy!

Reality used in our current vernacular has very little to do with what is actually Real or True!   We grieve over pseudo acquaintances or frequent social interactions as if they were  intimate bonds for life.  Most of the time they aren't!  So when the other person loses interest or breaks the connection we feel betrayed.

Be realistic~people come into our lives for a reason, often a season of time to serve a purpose that will hopefully make us better.  But if that doesn't turn out to be the case, be willing to let it go and do so without bitterness (Heb. 12:14-15)

Let's see if you've been listening:  A.  It all begins with your relationship with God.  All else pales in comparison.  Study Christ's relationships with the people He engaged and you won't go wrong.  B.  If you are in a relationship worth keeping, work hard nurturing it with integrity and respect.  Take personal responsibility for your part in keeping it intact and on track.  C.  You can't force a relationship that isn't there or has run its course.  And why should you even try?  If you are a Christian you already have the creme de la creme (choicest) of all of them in your Lord and Savior, Jesus. 

Keep Your Heads Up Sisters and the next time someone comes to you whining about their Stormy relationships share these tips with them!

Until Next Time!

OH SUCH CHILDISH THINGS!

"When I was a child, I talked like a child,
I thought like a child..."(I Cor. 13:11) 

Can you believe it!  We're already in the second month of this brand new year.  A month rife with so many celebrations that it's hard to find another one to rival it.

Let's see, Ground Hog Day is tomorrow....I guess those of us looking out on the several feet of snow that just fell this weekend would like some good news about now!  Then of course President's Day, is a great time for bargain hunters looking for deals at the local mall.  Mardi Gras starts this month as does Black History month and the Chinese New Year.

But for most of us the Biggie is Valentine's Day! I can barely pick up my Sunday newspaper for all the ads!  Everybody's an expert on helping you make that love connection! I'm no Love Guru, but I know someone who is--the apostle, Paul!  He has the perfect Valentine gift to give to your loved ones this year, Put Away Childish Things! In other words, Act Like A Christian, Think Like A Christian!

 When you get a chance read the entire chapter of I Corinthians 13.  Paul has a very exhaustive list of behaviors that ensures a great love relationship.  Needless to say indulging in their opposites is a sure-fire way to ruin one! Let's take a look at the following:

• IMPATIENCE-  "I want it, and I want it right now!" True Love is Patient and Kind
• JEALOUSY - "She thinks she's all that, so let's break it!" True Love does not Envy
• BOASTFUL-  "Mine is bigger and better than yours!" True Love is not Puffed up
• RUDE- "Get out of my face!" True Love Respects Others
• SELFISH- "This is mine, hands off!" True Love Shares All Things
• HOT-TEMPERED - "Let's settle this right now!" True Love is not Easily Provoked
• UNFORGIVING - "I'll never forget what you did!"  True Love Keeps No Records
• VINDICTIVE - "You got just what you deserved!"  True Love Does not Rejoice in Evil

Paul goes on to explain that these are the behaviors of the immature!  In I Corinthians 13:11 He says, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a woman I put away childish things." 

This is the essence of True Love--not the flowers, the candy, negligees, and expensive dinners.  Without unconditional love, kindness and respect what do you have?

ONLY CHILDISH THINGS!

(Isn't it time to put the crayons back in the box!)

SELMA On My Mind!

...With your blood you purchased people
for God from every tribe, language, and
people and nation (Rev. 5:9)

Like thousands of people this month, I spent a few dollars to see the movie, Selma. The theater was particularly crowded since  the time I picked happen to be Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday.  I was pleased to see blacks and whites, young and old, and entire families with children from as young as six years old to the most senior of saints buying tickets!

Having lived through this time, I was well familiar with the historical  account of the walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what was called, Bloody Sunday.  But I was a young teen and aside from the fact that it was horrifying to see then even on my black and white television set, the impact was quite different for me now that I am an adult.

I suppose it's because in my naiveté as a teen, I thought that scenes like that were probably at its worse THEN!  Surely, the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and Dr. King's death in 1968 was enough to ensure victory against racial bigotry in America.  Forward wind to 2015...Not so much!  Voting rights are still being denied through disfranchisement.  Bad cops are still the black man's enemy, and terrorists, albeit now in tailored suits instead of white sheets still exist to wreak havoc among the poor and innocent. 

Bloody Sunday has turned into Bloody Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!  In Selma  in the 1960s young black men were leading the march against discrimination.  Now they lead the nation in black on black crime as  murder victims.

In Selma the  black beat-down came from policemen on horses trying to prevent folks from exercising their right to protest unjust treatment.  In New York, Ferguson, and Florida it's easier to just to kill them for peddling cigarettes or walking down the street in a suspicious manner!  Meanwhile, back at the ranch...politicians play the blame game and future hope slowly slips  away from the hearts and minds of our young people who choose suicide and drugs  over a world that they find no consolation in. 

Yes...Selma is on my mind here lately.  It has me thinking  about how far we have yet to go before we finally get it!  Race hatred is not the answer!  Fear mongering only breeds discontentment and incites irrational emotions.  Jesus died for ONE RACE, the human race and the only solutions we have are PRAYER and WITNESSING!  Not something our nation's Think Tank would come up with that's for sure!  

One thing that the movie Selma did not emphasize much was just how the Civil Rights movement was fueled by prayer!  I know this because I and my older siblings participated in the desegregation of our school and local businesses.  We received non-violent training, learned how to protect ourselves and NOTHING was ever done without the local ministers leading  us in prayer!  

CHRISTIANS CAN STILL BE LIGHTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES BUT WHY NOT START IN OUR HOMES!  Talk to your children!  Parent your children!  Know where they are!
Let's all be accountable!

WE CAN STILL OVERCOME!

WHEN GOD DISAPPOINTS!

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. (Isaiah 42:3).

"My husband and I make over six figures a year, but we can't make one baby even with the latest medical interventions, yet this single welfare mother has seven and struggles to take care of them all.  So much for being fruitful and multiplying!

"Cancer took my mother and two of my siblings now doctors tell me that I've probably got a year at most to live with my own diagnosis.  I'm a good Christian woman, with a thriving ministry....why me?"

" I don't deserve this...I stuck with him through job layoffs, financial bankruptcy, and helped him get his degree.  Now that we're back on our feet, he's leaving me and our kids for another woman!  All that marriage counseling and fasting was a waste! "

Let's face it life is not fair! And whether you accept it or not, bad things actually do happen to good people!  The human response, even for those of us who know the Lord and His Word is to blame God!  After all He's Omnipotent (all powerful) and Sovereign (rules every thing)!  Surely, He can prevent some of this mess going on the world today!

Anger at God  is not something that's easy for a Christian to admit!  Somehow it makes you feel less spiritual doesn't it?  Even to think it, conjures up the proverbial lightning bolts striking us down from the heavens!  But if we're honest we know that just like in any other relationship, anger is an emotion that comes into play from time to time.  It's okay be angry....God can take it!  But it might help to know just What and Who you are angry with!

Christian counselor, June Hunt (Hope for the Heart), reminds us that there are four reasons we get angry:  Hurt, Injustice, Fear, and Frustration.  As  humans we've experienced them all and you don't get a pass, just because you're a Christian!  Jesus says in John 16:33, "In this world you will have tribulation (trials, pain, problems, distress) but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world." Your dual citizenship, being a part of this world and the Kingdom of God brings both heartache and blessings! We become angry when we are called to endure the injustices of this world as we travel through to the next! 

In our lack of spiritual wisdom we blame God! In this we are just like our fore parents Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:8-13).  We forget that we are living in a fallen world!  Disease, divorce, violence, and injustice was never God's original plan for His children...we opened that door ourselves and  live each day with the aftermath.  If you want to be mad, be mad at Adam and Eve!

Still we cling to the promise of John 16:33....Christ has overcome the world...He has made living in this world bearable (I Cor. 10:13):  Through His Word, His Spirit, the Prayers and support of others we can deal with disappointments.

Take a moment to click on this excellent article by Dr. Charles Stanley:  http://www.intouch.org/magazine/content.aspx?topic=Dealing_with_Disappointment_devotional#.VL0NoVq4n78

Too lazy?  Here's a brief recap: Disappointments are allowed to teach us, to stretch us and to grow us in our faith.  The next time you experience disappointment do the following:

--Resist the urge to become bitter
--Ask the Lord how you should respond
--Follow His directions
--Keep your focus on God and His higher purpose

"UNTIL NEXT TIME!

HOW TO HANDLE SECRETS!

I can hear my Mama right now, rocking back and forth on the porch of that old tin-roof house I grew up in.  Spouting forth wisdom that only life experiences give you...Be careful who you tell your business to.  Some folks are like old refrigerators...can't keep nothing!

If you've ever had someone to tell your business, after they swore they wouldn't, I know you're feeling me!  It's happen to me a few times in my life and I have to admit that I've not always done well keeping my mouth shut either!  Not that intentional hurt and pain was ever the motive.  It's just hard for women in particular  (although men do it too) to keep from sharing! 

So, since this is a new year and  we're all about starting off fresh, I thought these tips might do wonders for your present relationships and keep you from re-living the fallouts from old ones destroyed because you just couldn't keep your mouth shut!

Let me start with a disclaimer:  There are some secrets that shouldn't be kept, like when they are hiding sin!  If a person is being hurt or there is physical and/or emotional harm being done, especially as it concerns children, you have a Christian moral responsibility to tell someone!  It is the same for the knowledge of criminal activities.  No matter how difficult!  Your neighbor may never forgive you but God will and you just might prevent something more destructive from happening.   We ARE our brother's keeper and it's only a matter of time before the problems going on next door becomes yours!  (Prov. 28:13; Is. 1:18)

Believe it or not the bible is pretty ambivalent about secrets. Both the Old and New Testaments give many examples of secrets kept for noble causes.  Joseph kept his identity secret from his brothers (Gen. 42) only to care for his family during a famine.  King Saul's son Jonathan kept David's whereabouts secret to keep Saul from killing him ( I Sam. 19-20).  Rahab hid the Israelite spies in Jericho and was honored later in scripture as one of God's Faithful (Heb. 11:31).  Even Jesus healed and cautioned His own disciples to keep quiet about His mission? (Mark 8:27-30; Matthew. 8:1-4).  So it all boils down to how you handle them --that my sisters takes godly wisdom.

1.  Be honest in conversations of a personal nature.  Let people know upfront that you will not promise to keep a secret that you believe perpetuates dishonesty, hurt, or harm to another person.  This will no doubt keep you out of the pipeline for gossip but you'll never have to worry about letting something slip!  

2.  Learn how to discern when violations of confidences are coming.  Anytime someone comes to you with, "I really shouldn't tell anyone this but..." be on the alert.  That is if you don't  want to be drawn into conversations where something may be told without permission. And just to let you know...for Christians this often comes in the form of a sincere prayer request...yeh right!

3.  Just as there are secrets that should be told there are many that shouldn't.  Never tell a secret that will embarrass, shake the confidence of, or humiliate another person. Some secrets told to us by close relations can be down right funny...but not to the one who told you!  Telling a secret that makes anyone the butt of a joke is not only wrong but mean spirited!

4.  Never ask a child to keep a secret.  Secrets are burdens difficult for adults but it is absolutely unthinkable to put on a child!  Children have enough problems to deal with on their own, carrying yours shouldn't be one of them.  Also, you are teaching them how to lie and keep secrets from you!! Some that may be harmful and devastating to their lives that you might need to know.

Sometimes keeping secrets come with a timeline...you may keep a promise to keep a secret for a reasonable amount of time, i.e., for example in the case of domestic violence.  You may need to give the victim time to make an "escape plan" to leave the abuser before notifying authorities.  But make sure the timeline is understood and adhered to as agreed. 




 He who trusts secrets to a servant makes him his master.
(John Dryden)

Remember:  Be careful who you tell your secrets to!