The Heart of the Matter

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Racism. If anyone needs to have a conversation about this topic it is the Church. In a recent Barna survey, only 56% of evangelicals agree that people of color are often placed at a social disadvantage. This number is lower than the national average of 67%. Yet, at the same time, 95% of evangelicals think the Church plays a critical role in racial reconciliation – higher than the national average of 73%. When put together, these two pieces of information tell us that the evangelical church thinks it is the best equipped to deal with racial reconciliation; but it doesn’t think this reconciliation is nearly as needed as the rest of the country does. It looks like we have an elephant in the room.

Dr. Billy Graham was once asked this question: “If you could eliminate one single problem on planet earth, what would it be?” His reply was, “Racial prejudice.” Prejudice of some form is something all of us have been guilty of at one time or another. Racial prejudice is something that no one wants to admit, at least people who want to be recognized as civilized. But that does not mean that it isn’t there. In fact, racial prejudice is something that can be so ingrained that you don’t even realize it is there.

To break these generational tendencies towards racial prejudice, it is necessary to understand what it even is. What does it mean to be prejudice? Prejudice is when we make a distinction between people that God does not make. Racism, therefore, is when we discriminate against people on the wrong basis and for the wrong reason which only comes down to one thing, pigmentation – the color of one’s skin.

I could go on and on about the many reasons that racism is wrong. I could detail the mountains of destruction it has left in its path in our country, and around the world. I could explain how racism exists in all races and in all cultures. I could even discuss with you the various influences and reasons behind racism. While all of these topics and conversations are important ones, none of them gets to the root of the problem. None of them brings lasting change.

Racial prejudice is sin; therefore it has its roots in rebellion against God, not against man. The heart of this issue is not how people view each other, but rather in how people view God – the Creator of all people. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Our natural, sinful tendency is to look at that which God looks through. Only when we align our eyes with His eyes, allowing Him to change us and rid us of these natural inclinations, will we see people the way that He does.

Dear Lord, I don't want to be the kind of person who judges people based on outward appearance. Instead, I want to be like you and see past the superficial as I look to the heart. I pray that would give me your eyes to see people as you see them. In Jesus' name, amen.