This week I watched America’s Got Talent. A teenage girl sang and I mean she SANG. Her performance was incredible and all four judges loved her performance even the mean one. Her back story is why I am writing about it today. She came to America as a small child with her parents from Dominican Republic. Because she was the only kid who looked different in her school, she was bullied. Because of that, she poured herself into music.
Racism and prejudice are ugly sins that devalue people and take away from their sense of person hood.
I will never forget meeting a ten year old boy while I was helping with an outreach event in a park. When I told him, “Jesus loves you,” he looked down at the ground and said, “The kids at school call me brown boy.” We talked some more and I introduced him to a pastor of a Hispanic church that organized the outreach.
Racism and prejudice are ugly sins that devalue people and take away from their sense of person hood. Racism and prejudice are also offensive to God and an insult to God. God is our creator and he created all people. In God’s creation we see artistry and creativity. Racism is saying to God that his creation is not beautiful or valuable.
When I hear about teens and children being bullied at school because they look different due to their race, ethnicity, or country they are from. it saddens me.
BUT I also think about what an opportunity Christians have. Our youth groups have the opportunity to train and educate young people to be Jesus to all people and to inspire young people to reach out to those who are different. For us adults, we can mentor a teen, get involved with a non-profit, help put on bible clubs in neighborhoods different than our own. There are so many ways that the church can be Jesus to those who look different than we do.
Racism and prejudice are also offensive to God and an insult to God.
Yes, we do have laws to protect people from discrimination and many schools actively try to stop bullying. BUT laws do not change the hearts of people. We know the person who can change the hearts of people. Christianity is all about people changing from the inside out not from the outside in.
Oh and by the way, let’s not forget the person we worship and follow was a Mediterranean Jew.
If you want to see the girl’s audition on the show, here it is:
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