In my dream world, my table is brimming with people from every background imaginable. It would be a beautiful picture with as many representations of human beings as possible. That is where my heart lies when I think about myself and my deep desire to be accepting and loving of all. But that isn’t my reality right now. The evil one has infected so many people in this world, and I know part of me carries that infection, too. What do we do about this infection of our hearts and souls? I can only speak for myself.
Before I got sick in 2021, and that sickness invaded my brain and body, I was pursuing my doctorate in early childhood education and writing my dissertation on Implicit Bias. I learned so much about myself during those studies. Though I could not finish the Ph.D. program because so much time was lost and a dissertation impossible, I carry what I learned daily. At that same time, I was witnessing horrible injustices in the world and my backyard – at my church.
I think partly due to my studies or experiences, and overwhelming because of faith in a just God, I continue to work to reframe how I look at people I don’t know who come across my path. I always ask myself: Am I judging someone because of their appearance, dress, and skin color? How I wish my answer were always no. Do preconceived notions just pop into my head about what those visual cues say about the person the individual is? Again, I would be lying if I said no. Implicit Bias is a strong demon. It is nurtured into our beings when we open our eyes as humans on earth. The American Psychological Association defines Implicit Bias as a negative attitude you are unaware of against a specific social group. How do we change this? Deep reflection and faith in God have improved my ability to assess why I think something about someone else, impacting my response. I’m a continued work in progress.
Around our table, we talk about these issues constantly. We consciously work to avoid discussing race, freedom, love, kindness, acceptance, and more. My children call me out if I say something that isn’t kind or inclusive, and they should! I strongly feel we must do better for each generation while we reform our own. We must accept each other where we are and for who we are but inspire each other to improve. We are not the judge, we are the equals. I believe a community of God should be created with people from everywhere who help each other open their hearts and follow Jesus.
As the Gospel of John says in chapter 1, verse 12, "But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” For me, the keyword in that passage is ALL combined with receive and believe.
I am sitting at the table. How about you?
Amanda
Jesus taught us to gather around His Table and work out our differences: “Do THIS in remembrance of me.” That may mean to accept our differences. It did not mean to leave the Table like Judas and find ourselves in darkness and death. It also did not mean to avoid the Table and pretend to be all accepting without doing the hard work of being at the Table and facing the large and small challenges that come with it. It certainly did not mean to find ways to push people away from the Table. ALL are indeed welcome at the Lord’s Table. Thank you Amanda for teaching your children the way of our Lord Jesus Christ.