King David aggressed the heart of God. In prayer and in song, he lunged for God’s presence with all his might. And God dubbed him, “a man after My own heart.” I love that. I want to be like that.
When we think of what it means to be a woman or man after God’s heart, what examples come to mind from David’s life?
I see David dancing wildly before the Lord unashamed. Then I read the worship songs he wrote while coiled up in fear, hiding from bounty hunters in the belly of a cave. And I also remember how he spared his greatest enemy’s life while perfectly poised to eliminate him.
Now let’s take a look at one more key lesson in David’s life.
But first, remember back to when you heard the story of George Floyd’s murder.
Take a minute here.
Tap into how you felt. Write out your feelings.
Who do you think should be held accountable?
Hold onto that for a minute.
Story Time with Nathan the Prophet
In Second Samuel 12 the prophet Nathan hosted storytime with King David.
And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arm, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
2 Samuel 12:1-4 (ESV)
After hearing the story, King David curls his lip in anger. He huffs his repulsed reaction to the prophet. “How could such a powerful, pitiless man do that to someone else? He needs to pay for what he’s done.”
Does that sound anything like your reaction to the video?
An Analogy
Ok, so here’s the truth. The Lamb Fairytale was an analogy of an event involving King David in 2 Samuel 11.
A summary: King David called out of work one day. He was supposed to be at war with all the other men of the city. Instead he stayed home, peeping on a young woman bathing on a roof. And he forced her into bed with him. Because even if the woman, Bathsheba, wanted to, who could deny a godly king’s request in those days? Then after finding out she was pregnant, David organized a hit on Bathsheba’s husband. Again he abused his power in an attempt to cover his tracks. Consequently, the husband is slaughtered.
It’s shocking how a man after God’s heart could commit two heinous, calculated crimes.
Now fast forward to Nathan’s story about the stolen lamb in 2 Samuel 12. The prophet lets David finish his rant about how to punish the sheep stealer. Then he replies, “David, you are that man!”
All that time, David, the man after God’s heart, didn’t recognize his use of privilege and abuse of power. Yet when he hears the story from another angle he’s quick to recognise the sin and call for retribution.
Now let’s answer the question again: who is responsible for George Floyd’s murder?
The answer is, if you’re White, you and me.
It’s easy to point to the police, lawmakers, the alt right, or someone else who blatantly denies Black people basic liberties. However, a major step in dismantling racism in this country is to admit, “I am the man.” I start by recognizing racial prejudices in my own heart.
(Here’s a list of some common ways our internal unchecked prejudices show up in everyday interactions. And on page 6 of this study.)
Renewing our Minds
Church we need to repent personally and collectively for the deadly sin of racism.
Repentance in the Greek means, among other things, a change of mind. We have so many tangled up mindsets to unravel.
We must accompany our prayers with following and learning from antiracism teachers and historians who tell the whole truth about America and the Church.
Read Ally Henny’s and Lisa Sharon Harper’s works.
Read through Austin Channing’s recommended reading list.
Study history for yourself by purchasing from Mahogany Books resource list. And with the kids by purchasing Woke Homeschooling.
Pay for a spot in Austin Channing’s antiracism workshop. Or one of Be the Bridge’s online resources.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Just start digging in. I promise, you will find a ton of resources to help you seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with the brown-hued Man from Nazareth.
Lord Jesus, I recognize the Church, and I played a major role in the creation and support of racist systems in our nation for generations. . Ahmaud’s, Breonna’s, and George’s murder gripped the attention of the White Church in a way we have never seen before. Lord, forbid that after our White “sadness” wears off, we abandon this work. Lead us individually and as a Church in true repentance. I am sorry. I want to change. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Please explain how saying that “every White person is racist/responsible for the murder of George Floyd” is different from saying “every Asian is good at math” or “every Black person is poor.”
King David had power and privilege, but he wasn’t guilty of adultery and murder until he actually committed those acts. God chose him to be king. His sin was in the abuse of his power, not the possession of it.
I’ve read a number of responses to the situation by Christian writers of different races. Several of them have made this same blanket statement. I truly want someone to explain how skin color determines the state of anyone’s heart.
God knows I have things I need to repent of, but being white is not a sin.
Hi Jeanne,
Thank you for reading and taking the time to write a response. I will attempt to answer your question. However, I do believe you will receive a more satisfactory answer if you click on links in this post and listen to faith leaders who have taught on this topic for decades.
All of us whether clothed in black, brown or white skin reflect His image, and we are utterly and completely loved by Him. I dont hate my white skin or my heritage. Our differences make us beautiful and interesting.
Yet, in America there is something pervasive about whiteness.
Skin color, at the inception of America, has been erroneously used as a trait in our systems to categorize people as good or bad, dangerous or safe, worthy or unworthy, human or less than human.
In our institutions, skin color levels us up or down.
In the beginning American founders used white skin to leverage power and torture people. In the past White immigrants blended (assimilated) into White American crowds when persecution, because of his or her country of origin, became unbearable. Throughout our history our leaders created and maintain systems of policing using color as a determination of higher levels of guilt. Today lawmakers divy out funding for this school, but not that school. I could go on and on. In short, Whiteness holds the power and favor in many of Americas institutions.
For decades so many of us White citizens, did not pay attention to the inequalities(or worse, we did and didnt care. Consequently, we are untouched by Black people’s pain, so therefore we don’t empathize. Because when we live in privilege the plight of the oppressed falls of deaf ears.
White people like me benefit from that privilege everyday. If all citizens benefited equally we wouldn’t need to repent. But White people have higher salaries than Black Americans. Whites are convicted less for the same crimes that Black people are more likely to go to jail for. Education and healthcare statistics both reflect that Whites benefit from our systems in unequal proportions compared to Blacks citizens and other citizens of color. If I am benefiting as a citizen above my neighbor purely based on skin color, and I’m not trying to change the system than my privilege has hurt another person. And I need to take responsibility. As a Christian and as an American.
So if as a White person I don’t, 1.) jump in, back up the outcry of the oppressed by admitting yes, this is a pervading problem within our nation, and 2.) purpose to overturn my biased mindsets, then I don’t see how I could ever truly understand the command to love my neighbor as I love myself.
Jeanne, I hope I helped answer your question in some way. I encourage you to look up the Christian Organization, Be the Bridge. They and other organizations like them have answered, and continue to answer, so many of my questions about race and whiteness.
Thanks again for reading this post and taking time to comment.
Sincerely,
Tara
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