Ahmaud Arbery.

George Floyd.

You have to be hiding in a cave if you don’t know these names. These two black men, one in Georgia and the other in Minnesota, were murdered. They lost their lives. Gone, in a moment. They were not tried for some heinous crime and given the death penalty. One was shot while out on a jog. The other one was suffocated under the knee of a policeman. Tragic, senseless loss of life. Each of these incidents has caused public outrage. Facebook, Twitter, and every news site is filled with the story and responses to the story. My heart is broken over this loss of life and the evils of the systemic racism in our country that is exposed when these stories go public.

But I am hoping and praying for more than a temporary response only to quickly move on to the next story. In response to the evil injustice of racism, I want more for the followers of Christ than to make a social media post about what happened and then move onto the next cute post of your child. When we hear or personally experience stories of racism, even when it doesn’t lead to the loss of life, we should respond with mourning. Romans 12:15 says clearly that we should “mourn with those who mourn.” The reality of the sin of racism in our world should lead to mourning.

Mourn because of the sin it reveals.

Mourn because of the history of racism that exists in our country and the way this still impacts the black community every day.

Mourn because God wants us to treat people as image bearers of God, not according to the color of their skin.

Mourn for the way racism still plays out inside the church of Jesus Christ.

But mourning is more than an emotion you feel apart from another person. We are called to mourn with those who mourn. Mourning comes alongside the person who is mourning. You don’t mourn until you understand. You don’t mourn until you listen long enough to realize how deeply and painfully racism has impacted the black community and other minority communities.

So, instead of offering something cheap and easy in the face of a moral injustice like racism, let me offer you a better move. Here is a link to a discussion between Dave Harvey, the president of the Great Commission Collective (GCC), and three black pastors who lead GCC churches. Each of these men have been an encouragement to me personally in my walk with Christ, leadership in the church, and in thinking about and addressing the sin of racism. I have grown in my understanding of how to mourn with anyone who has experienced racism because of conversations with these men and others.

If you really want to learn how to mourn with the people who experience the pain of systemic racism personally or collectively, then listen to this conversation. Come with a heart ready to hear. Listen carefully, hear the pain, and ask God to help you rightly mourn. Ask the Spirit of God to lead you in how you are going to respond to racism. Parents, I would encourage you to watch this with your kids and discuss these important issues with them. After listening, take some time to respond in the comments. What has God taught you through listening and striving to understand the impact of the sin of racism?

Justice, Race, and the Gospel