Reflections on Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” Speech

There are white, brown and yellow believers in my world and I love them fiercely. Yet, on the issue of race, our union is imperfect. We look different but there is a silent expectation that all that counts is the bond in Christ though it is often marred by the wounds of racism and bigotry so inherent in this culture. I want to talk about race, but I don’t want to be called sensitive and I don’t want my experiences minimized. Moreover, I don’t want to do the same to another person or harbor bad feelings about people who look like them just because of what has happened to me.

One of my favorite verses is, “God is not a respecter of persons.” I found beauty in that verse during a time I wrestled with my own race issues while attempting to follow Jesus. The most beautiful aspect of it is that a God, who purposely created us in so many different hues, regards those hues lightly and instead chooses to deal with us as His creations – human beings.
As hurt as I am, I just want to be regarded as a human being at the beginning and end of every day. That’s the beauty of the Cross. In Him, I have a union that cares less about my skin color.

Still, old and current wounds fester and sting in the face of a discussion on the subject of race Americans, particularly those of us in the church, refuse to entertain. Jeremiah Wright is also wounded. But bless Jeremiah Wright’s wrongness, because in his wrong there is a right and that right thing is the forum for a discussion in the church.

Easter Sunday seems as good a time as any. And let’s pray redemption is imminent, because I want to see someone like Jeremiah Wright healed and I really want my own healing too.

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