Eavesdropping is something of which I must admit I’m guilty. It’s secretly listening to others talking. Come on, we’ve all done it at some point. Be honest. You know the quote, “I just couldn’t help but overhear…!”
Leaning in to listen in on a conversation allowed me to hear a piece of wisdom that altered for the better the way I manage my finances. Then, there are occasions when I should’ve slapped myself on the wrist for doing it.
Such a time was several weeks ago as two brothers in the faith — both Caucasian — were talking and one pivoted to the subject of slavery, which made my ears perk up. He said without a flinch in his voice, “The blacks ought to be grateful for what happened because that’s how they got to hear the gospel.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That opened a door to having a heartfelt and productive conversation with them.
A Concerted Effort To Hide Dirt
As a Christian and as an African-American, his look back on history unnerved me on both fronts. His fringe perspective, however, has backing. Case in point: the Board of Education in the state of Florida just certified standards requiring educators to teach its students that slavery — the cruel, deplorable, and inhumane treatment of my ancestors — was in some respects beneficial.
Quoting directly from the state’s African American History Strand (2023) of its updated curriculum, the board writes on page 6 – subsection SS.68.AA.2.3, “Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”
There’s no other way to say this is an attempt to whitewash (no pun intended) and somehow put a positive spin on the atrocities black people suffered during slavery and deny its lingering damage to their descendants. It’s in effect a form of gaslighting.
Seeds of Doubt About Captivity
The term “gaslight” derives from the 1944 movie of the same name. In the noir thriller, a husband tries to make his wife think she’s going insane in a plot to murder her. So, gaslighting can be when someone insists a problem another sees isn’t real. It doesn’t exist. It’s all in one’s head.
Let me be straightforward. Slavery was not a blessing for black people in any way. There was no benefit. The gospel of Christ sheds light on the darkness of the slave trade and Jesus’s declaration of love and freedom — in every sense — to those who were in chains and to those who bound them.
The prophet Isaiah wrote and Jesus would quote centuries later, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon Me, for the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies (Isaiah 61:1-2, Luke 4:14-21).”
To the Root with the Truth
Contrary to what politicians and pundits may espouse, racism and discrimination against people of color is alive and well, and unfortunately it exists even within the confines of the church. Until the body of Christ owns up to this reality and has honest, thoughtful, and meaningful discussions with one another, the unity we crave will continue to evade us.
The late Senator John Lewis said, “You have to tell the whole truth, the good and the bad, maybe some things that are uncomfortable for some people.” Wounds can only mend when we acknowledge their existence and tend to them.
The Tool for Love to Rule
The best surgical tool to start the healing process is the word of God. The writer of Hebrews says it’s “alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires (Hebrews 4:12).”
The revival we’ve longed for starts, not with the world but with us, God’s children. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
Let the racial restoration begin. Let’s open up, listen and lean into each other’s hurts and hidden fears, tear down walls, and build bridges — one conversation at a time.
Sources:
Article: “Teachers enraged that Florida’s new Black history standards say slaves could ‘benefit’” by C. Isaiah Smalls II, published July 21, 2023
PDF: “Florida’s State Academic Standards – Social Studies, 2023”
Article: “The term ‘gaslighting’ has its origins in a 1944 movie” by Mick LaSalle, published July 12, 2022
Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-2
Scripture: Luke 4:14-21
Editorial: “John Lewis taught us to tell uncomfortable truths” by Ryan Haygood, published July 22, 2020
Scripture: Hebrews 4:12
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14
Scripture references links go to bible.com, courtesy of YouVersion, makers of the Bible App available for iOS and Android devices.
