The Role of Race

At a time when we have a Black man in the white house, many have been quick to point out that racism is dead. However, after the recent incident involving the arrest of a famous Black scholar at his own home and the President’s subsequent comments, the issue of race has again become center stage. And many ugly truths about the role that race plays in our lives are coming to light.

I’ve heard it said that, “Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. is the most segregated hour in America.” Many would agree there are vast differences between “typical” African American worship services and others. And one could argue that “Black churches” and “White churches” are just a result of the neighborhoods they are in. But I still find it very strange that I currently attend church service in a predominantly white community—but the entire congregation is Black.

Even in my mission travels I’ve noticed the role that race plays. I’ve traveled to two vastly different African countries. And I’ll concede that the color of my skin made it easier for me to see the people I met as my very own brothers, sisters and children. Yet I’ve spoken first-hand to others who seemed to view their mission as, “We’re going to save the savages.” I often wonder if mission trips to European countries have the same undertone.

Jesus didn’t segregate. He preached to the Jews as well as the Gentiles. In fact, in Romans 2, Paul condemns prejudice (passing judgment against someone else) and in verse 11 declares, “God does not show favoritism.” Not race, not ethnic background, nor any other human distinction will influence the salvation of a person’s soul. Christ came to save all of mankind.

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) becomes even more powerful when you realize that the helpful and loving Samaritan was from an oppressed class of people. He was, in essence, helping out a man who any other time may have spit in his face. Jesus shows us that God’s Love has no room for racism, prejudice, or segregation.

If we are a reflection of Christ, everyone should see themselves in us.

The 5 P’s

Every week it seems that a new self-help book comes out with yet another “key to success.” Many of these become best sellers, thanks to the millions of readers who are looking to unlock the secret to prosperity. Yet, many of these so-called tips are built around the same basic principle—the 5 P’s.

The 5 P’s tell us that, “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.” In other words, if you want something to end right, it has to start right. Imagine if a producer woke up one morning and just said, “I want to put on a Broadway show this afternoon.” Some would argue that with the right resources, he would be able to hire the actors and musicians, rent the hall, and get the word out about the performance. But almost everyone would agree that the actual production would be a hot mess. The actors would hardly know their lines or cues, the music would be sloppy, the sets would still have wet paint, and the audience would demand a refund.

Our lives are so much more complicated than a Broadway production. Which is why proper preparation is so essential. When I was a kid, my mother used to tell me to lay out my clothes at night. That little tip followed me to this day, where I have passed along to my kids the importance of preparing for the day ahead. Proper preparation can be as simple as visualizing what’s ahead and getting yourself mentally ready for it, or as involved as training or practicing for a specific event or craft.

From a spiritual perspective, let us not forget that Jesus said in John 14:2, “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” Jesus is looking ahead to our arrival—and those who will come are those of us who have prepared our souls for eternity.

I’m preparing for what’s ahead!

Invocation

I often talk to people who tell me that they feel like God is telling them to write something, but they have no idea of how to get started. Today’s blog is a simple one. It’s a prayer of invocation that you can say before you start writing—or before you begin any creative project.

You may have heard the term invocation in church. It’s a prayer of request that usually precedes a worship service. In the truest sense, you’re asking God for His blessing over all that will transpire. And you are inviting Him to be actively involved.

The following prayer is something I wrote to help me welcome the presence of God. I hope you find it a blessing, also:

Invocation

Lord,
I really don’t know what You want me to do
So, Father God, I turn it over to You

My Savior, come forth as I decrease
Jesus, use me as You please

Holy Spirit, please be my guide
Ever-present by my side

Feed Your people, Lord, through my work today
Use me, guide me, have Your way

Amen

Stop, Drop, and Pray

Years ago, there was a public service commercial featuring the famous comedic actor, Dick Van Dyke. Although the catch phrase was memorable, the message was a serious one: There’s a simple thing you can do to save your life if your clothing or hair catch fire—stop, drop, and roll. As Christians, we can use a modified version of the same advice when we find our situation “in flames.”

Sometimes, we get so overwhelmed with things to do we just don’t know where to start. And there are times when we find ourselves in such an arduous predicament—we don’t know what to do at all. When everything around us seems to be blowing up, it’s time to stop, drop, and pray.

If you look up the “stop, drop, and roll” method in the Wikipedia, it outlines the basics for a fire emergency. Here’s how the modified method works for life emergencies:

Stop. Psalm 46:10 begins with, “Be still, and know that I am God.” We need to take a pause in our situation to acknowledge the Lord, above anything else that’s going on.

Drop. While we can talk to God any time and anywhere (in the shower, in the car, walking around the park), there are times when we truly need to get down on our knees. It’s a small show of humility and sacrifice that shows the Lord that we are putting aside everything for our time with Him.

Pray. As children of God, the power of prayer cannot be underestimated. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” That simple instruction is followed by a promise in the next verse, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

When we stop, drop, and pray, God promises to douse our flames with peace and surround us with the healing protection of His son, Jesus. This is a public service announcement from your friends at VOCAB, LLC.

When the fires of life come my way, I am prepared to “stop, drop and pray!”

Life With a Gift

This week the world mourns the loss of a pop music icon. Michael Jackson touched the lives of people in every corner of the globe with his music. There may be a number of Biblical figures that the King of Pop can be compared to. One that comes to my mind is King David. Through these two kings, we can learn a lot about living with a gift.

Both Michael and David’s gifts were challenged by adversity. It wasn’t by happenstance that Michael grew up in a home with the ultimate stage parents Joe and Katherine Jackson. Nor did David just happen to be a shepherd boy, son of Jesse. Michael’s early years were fraught with abuse and David’s time tending sheep was certainly rough and dangerous every now and then (see 1 Samuel 17:34–35)—yet neither allowed these obstacles to destroy their gift. Your trials can ultimately make your gift stronger.

David and Michael were dedicated to developing their gifts. Even with God-given natural talent, a gift needs to be polished. I often envision David spending much time while in the pastures watching his father’s sheep, practicing his harp and sharpening his fighting skills. It has been documented that Michael Jackson spent hours on end in the dance studio to perfect just a single dance move. Resting on your abilities is not an option, your gift is something to be worked at—daily.

Their gifts did not make them invulnerable to sin. While celebrated world wide for his genuine artistry, Michael Jackson also led a bizarre personal life that alienated some and appalled others. And David, although regarded as one of the greatest leaders that ever lived, allowed his lust for another man’s wife to cause him to orchestrate the murder of the man on the battlefield (2 Samuel 11). While both Michael and David are considered great men because of their gifts, both faced great personal turmoil and heartbreaking tragedy because of their sin. Even if you use your gift for the benefit of others, God doesn’t close his eyes or wink at your sin.

We are all born with a gift. Let’s learn from the examples of those set before us so that our gifts may be used for God’s glory.

Are You a Regifter?

One of my all-time favorite sitcoms, Seinfeld, coined a phrase that is still popular today: “regifting.” To regift means to take a gift you were given and turn around and give it to someone else (either with or without the original wrapping!). It is considered a disgraceful practice, and if caught, the regifter is often put to shame. Although you would never want to find that someone you love has regifted you, why do we find it acceptable to regift God?

Since the beginning of time, man has made gifts of sacrifice to God. We find that in Genesis 4:3–5, Cain and Abel brought the gifts of their labor before God as a sacrifice. While Abel brought the fat portions from the first born of this flock, the Bible says that Cain laid out “some of the fruits of the soil.” Or basically, he regifted his leftover harvest. God looked upon Abel’s offering with favor, not Cain’s.

One might argue that we have no need to make such sacrifices today. After all, Jesus, the Son of God, was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The perfect Lamb without spot or blemish, presented before God to redeem all of mankind. While this is true, let us not believe that we can now wash our hands and be done with the whole gift-giving business.

It is actually because of Jesus’ sacrifice that we can enjoy a closer relationship with God and give Him our gifts willingly and freely. For example, I am always inspired by first-time authors who choose to use their gift of writing to glorify God, rather than please the world. God gave us His best, we should strive to give Him ours.

God doesn’t want our leftovers, He demands our best. I’m not a regifter—I’m giving Him my first fruits!

What’s Gospel About It? (Part II)

For years, I was a Copywriter at a multicultural advertising agency. Our goal was to target ethnic audiences (primarily African American) with marketing messages that were culturally and socially relevant. Often, I would bring a brilliant ad concept to my Creative Director, present it confidently, and wait for the response. Quite often, he would ask, “What’s Black about it?”

For my Creative Director, “I’m Black and I wrote it,” was never a sufficient answer. While those were particularly frustrating and grueling years, the one thing I learned from multicultural advertising was how to speak to a specifically targeted audience. So no less do I expect my Gospel music to speak to me directly as a Christian. I expect it to reflect the Word of God, to somehow convey the “Good News” (which is where we get the term “Gospel”), or be a psalm of praise and worship to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Just because an artist is Christian and they’ve recorded a great song, it doesn’t necessarily make their work Gospel, in my opinion.

More and more so-called Gospel songs are being picked up by Urban Contemporary radio stations. But at what price? In an effort to please everyone, many artists are compromising the Holy One. Many of the songs that cross-over from Gospel to Urban Contemporary fail to directly mention Jesus in the lyrics, or leave plenty of room for “interpretation.”

One might argue that these songs have the best chance to reach wider audiences and attract new believers. While many often quote Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “…I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” They miss the important point that follows in the next verse, “I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” Not for glory, not for fame, not for a few million dollars more in the next recording contract.

Is your Gospel playlist truly Gospel? Leave a comment!