The Racial Card

Dear Reader,

I remember an incident that happened some years ago, when I had just finished my first full-length novel. Eager for criticism, I presented a copy to a Christian lady I esteemed highly. We met again after she finished reading it. Strangely enough, out of the many things I had expected her to criticise (like plot development and description), she selected the way I dealt with the issue of race in my story.

"I find it offensive, as an African-American, to be called black," she told me. "And why does a black person always have to be a villain?"

I was frankly astounded and her words made quite an impression on me. In the story I had tried to even the races in the two sides (good and evil) so that it would be clear that it was not a matter of skin color, but of character. Evidently, it had not been enough. I had also thought the word "black" was an acceptable description, but I quickly learned it wasn't, either.

This situation -- and others that followed -- made me wonder. Why do we focus so much on the color of a person's skin? Why do we play the racial card? Christians seem to look at this as well.

What does the Bible say about race?

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Galatians 3:26-28, KJV

And again, in Colossians 3:11 (KJV), it is stated:

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

This means that we are all equal in Christ, regardless of the color of our skin. In Christ, there is no such thing as one race being superior to the other. 

We are to love our fellow man. How are we supposed to do that if we think, even subconsciously, that we are superior to them simply because of different skin color?

I have never cared about my skin color. What does it matter in God's great plan? From small, I have cared more about a person's character then his skin color.

Race does not define us. It does not define who we are in Christ. And the Bible clearly shows that we should not let race interfere in our bonds with one another.

Let's not play the racial card. Let's play the Christ card. 

Yours,
Joanna