The Bible and BLM

“But whoever hates his brother in the darkness, walks around in the darkness, he does not know where he is going, because the darkness blinds him.” 1 John 2:11 

I was heartsick yesterday after reading comments on a Facebook post that a Methodist minister made advocating for the Black Lives Matter movement. A person responded to his post by saying “All lives matter.” When he gently pointed her back to the part of his post where he discussed why this narrative can be harmful right now, she went into a dialogue about black-on-black crime and how statistics proved that blacks already had more privilege than whites. She related that she had been treated badly in a black neighborhood growing up. She stated that despite her bad experiences, she did not feel hatred to anyone of color.  She treated blacks and other races all equally, which is why she advocated for “All lives matter.”  

It was clear by her passionate defense; she could not see the hatred she still held in her heart. She did not understand that her defense was not for all lives, but for her own life. It was evident that she believed that black gains would be her loss. The message may have used the words “All lives matter,” but what she was saying was “White lives matter.” 

“Anyone who claims to be in the light, but still hates his brother is still in the darkness.” 1John 2:9 

My grandchildren are biracial. After three generations of interracial marriages, their skin is fair, their eyes are blue, and they turn pink on a sunny day. People who do not know my family, only see white children.  

The sad and ugly truth is I felt relief when they were born. Not because, I would have loved them differently had they been born a beautiful shade of cocoa sporting deep brown eyes, but because I knew their lives would be easier and safer, if they could pass as white.  

My grandchildren should not need to “pass as white” to be afforded the same opportunities, to garner the same respect or to feel safe in this world, but the undeniable fact is being white in America, gives you a leg up.  

So, I ask you, if you are a white person who is still saying “All lives matter,” would you trade your skin with the skin of a black person?” If the answer is “No,” please reconsider your narrative. If the answer is “Yes,” please consider if you are being honest with yourself.  

“Anyone who loves his brother lives in the light and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” 1 John 2: 10

At the heart of those answers lies an unarguable truth—being white comes with privilege. We need to stop denying that privilege exists. We need to start using it to empower our black brothers and sisters. We need to stop saying “All lives matter.” We need to start showing they matter by supporting black lives.