Racial Reconciliation Starts With You! Luke 6:17-34

"When I was a kid I thought zootopia was a perfect place, where everybody got along and where anyone can be anything. Turns out, life's a little more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy… We have to try, no matter what animal you are, from the biggest elephant to the ‘first’ fox, we have to try... try to make the world a better place… recognize that change starts with you... starts with me... it starts with all of us."

Racial reconciliation starts with you!

Outline The response of the discriminated class The response of the privileged class Everyone’s response

It starts with you! He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases…

It starts with you! Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Luke 6:17-19

The discriminated class Blessed are you who are poor,     for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now,     for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now,     for you will laugh. Luke 6:20-21 Embrace your identity

The privileged class “But woe to you who are rich,     for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now,     for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now,     for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,     for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” Luke 6:24-26

The privileged class Mourn with those who mourn Have a listening ear An eagerness to learn An empathetic disposition

These privileges and the white fragility that results prevent us from listening to or comprehending the perspectives of people of color and bridging cross-racial divides. The antidote to white fragility is on-going and life- long, and includes sustained engagement, humility, and education. Dr. Robert DiAngelo

Everyone’s response “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:27-31

What Jesus is saying to all of us is simple: Actively love others (enemies) by giving them what they don’t deserve

“All of us, we make mistakes, And at times we are lost “All of us, we make mistakes, And at times we are lost. And as we get older, we learn we don’t always have control of things — not even a president does. But we do have control over how we respond to the world. We do have control over how we treat one another.” President Barack Obama