Then God said, “Let us make humans[c] in our image, according to our likeness… (Genesis 1:27)
February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of our Black brothers and sisters to our society worldwide. Yet, as we celebrate, we also need to lament how our Black brothers and sisters have been exploited and dehumanized throughout human history and, sadly, even the Church’s history.
The creation narrative reminds us that all humans were created in God’s image. God’s plan is to redeem all people. Unfortunately, as history has taught us, forgetting this truth can lead to tragic consequences.
The good news is that we can do better. We can always repent and, in God’s grace, be redeemed so that we can become agents of reparation.
We can start by learning more about Black History Month. We can also include it in our worship, bible studies, and church life. We need to invest in Black businesses and ministries. We also need to learn from Black authors, art, poetry, and many other contributions we can find.
More significantly, we need to be in a relationship with our Black brothers and sisters. So how can we start or continue the journey to expand our friendships? How can we grow our ways of worshiping God? How can we redeem our limited notions of who God is? How can we diversify the ideas of what Jesus looks like? How can we make our table bigger? Our own table, our churches’ table, and society’s table.
Indeed, it is a challenging endeavor. It requires intentionality and determination, but especially remembering that it is not about us but about Jesus’ desire for all people to be redeemed and live an abundant life in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is about honoring the Image of God within every human.
Thurman Prayer (Adapted)
Open unto us — light for our darkness.
Open unto us — courage for our fear.
Open unto us — hope for our despair.
Open unto us — peace for our turmoil.
Open unto us — joy for our sorrow.
Open unto us — strength for our weakness.
Open unto us — wisdom for our confusion.
Open unto us — forgiveness for our sins.
Open unto us — love for our hates.
Open unto us — your Self for our selves.
Lord, Lord, open unto us !
Amen.
