by Lanae Hollingsworth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dear Fellow White Christians (particularly from evangelical or fundamentalist backgrounds),<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hear a lot of \u201cwe have to do better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I find that to be an unhelpful phrase, because \u201cbetter\u201d is an ambiguous term that suggests no action. Since we have chosen year after year, decade after decade, to utter that platitude, we now find ourselves with one question before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do we care about people different from ourselves? Do we care about women? Do we care about our BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) family and friends? Do we are about our LGBTQIA+ family and friends? Do we care about the people who work in the grocery stores and pick the food? Do we care that the world is suffering metaphorical and literal fiery explosions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our actions as a collective say no even as our words as a collective say yes. Most often they say, \u201cyes, but\u2026<\/strong>\u201d Yes, but cheap food and clothes are nice. Yes, but my safety is not at stake. Yes, but those things happened before I was alive. Yes, but that requires me to learn and change my habits. Yes, but power and economics might shift out of my control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It becomes clear that we are trying to appease our consciences rather than embodying the gospel, which can sometimes be very costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me offer another platitude. Actions speak louder than words\u2014until the absence of action leaves a deafening silence in which questions rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is the church? Where are the people of God? We talk a good game, most of it straight from the Bible.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, platitudes are not for the receiver; they are offered to make the giver feel better about their choices. Often, they make the receiver feel worse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen someone is drowning, the only thing worse than failing to throw them a life preserver is handing them a reason.\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p>Kate Bowler in Everything Happens for a Reason<\/a><\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Fellow white Christians, on our good days, we hand people platitudes, so we rarely throw life preservers to people who are marginalized by our practices, which means we are hoarding life preservers. This practice, my friends, is not one that demonstrates care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, fellow white Christians, I ask again:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We care about individuals in our communities, but even then, there is a limit to our caring. I believe you, we tell our black friend when a story of profiling is reported to us, and we do believe them. Nevertheless, as BIPOC people in our country point out the constant profiling of their collective and individual lives, our response is two-fold: deny their systemic claims as they do not match our experiences and offer a platitude. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What an ironic place in which we, the Jesus-loving communities of the world, find ourselves in the third week of November 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s consider another platitude. WWJD\u2014what would Jesus do? The phrasing of this mantra is problematic. Asking what Jesus \u201cwould\u201d do provides a lot of opportunity for our voices to become that of Jesus. Instead, what if we asked, \u201cWhat did Jesus do?\u201d Faced with this question, our actions leave me to wonder if we even know what Jesus did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In case you have not opened your Bible lately: (No shade if you have not\u2026I open mine mostly for class.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of telling ourselves that we need to do better, we should start by asking ourselves what it looks like to care about someone more than ourselves\u2014or at least as much as ourselves. That is what Jesus taught us to do, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s return to our question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we find that we do, we must ask a second question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To demonstrate care is to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n While these suggestions are items individuals can do on their own, they are also actions churches can encourage or take as the body of Christ, a body of Christ that is called to care for the world and work for justice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI did not tell them how few of their words are needed but how much their hands are wanted.\u201d[3]<\/a><\/p>Kate Bowler in Everything Happens for a Reason<\/a><\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n So, fellow white people, let\u2019s hold each other accountable to do what Jesus did: practice care<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Concern,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lanae, who is still learning how to do this for herself<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nYes, but\u2026<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Yes, but\u2026<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Do we care?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
We care until it goes beyond our communities or becomes an inconvenience to our existence.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Do we care?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
What does it look like to demonstrate care as a practice of embodying the call of Jesus to care for the oppressed rather than offering platitudes to absolve ourselves of guilt?<\/h6>\n\n\n\n