Why I Created This Book Series.
A tweet asked, “How young is too young to talk to children about racism?” Several people responded by sharing how old they were the first time they experienced racism, personally. The youngest age I saw listed in the article was four years old.
That didn’t surprise me.
I was only six years old the first time a classmate called me the “N” word. “You stupid n*gger!” I’ll never forget that. I’ll also never forget how he responded when I told the teacher what he’d said. She asked him, “What did you call her?” He said, “a niger (pronounced nigh-jur).” She asked him what that was. He stuttered and stammered, “I don’t know.”
But he did know. He knew enough to purposely mispronounce the word in order to hide what he’d actually called me. He knew enough about the meaning of the word to hurl it at me in the first place. He let me feel every inch of his anger and disgust before the teacher showed up. He knew how to use the word. I knew enough to be offended and to go get the teacher. By the time we were in first grade, we’d both already received an education about race.
Decades later, while working in children’s ministry, I stood or sat across from frustrated and hurt African-American parents whose children had been called the “N” word by another child. The youngest of these children were kindergartners. I remember one parent being especially frustrated that such a thing was happening in a Christian context. I apologized and responded as sympathetically and compassionately as I could. By the time we were done, I’d explained the nature of sin and why being around “Christians” was no guarantee to avoid any sin.
All of these experiences, both as a child and as a minister of the Gospel, taught me a sad but valuable lesson. We will never make enough “progress” as a culture or a country to abolish this sin called racism. We will never create a society this side of eternity where partiality and self-righteousness don’t exist. Both can be the root of racist beliefs and behaviors. Racism, like all sins, is a spiritual problem and it demands a spiritual solution. The only solution to sin is the cross of Jesus Christ and His second-coming.
I created the Gospel-Centered Joy for Brown-Skinned Girls and Boys book series to assist parents in giving their children a gospel-centered perspective on their race and ethnicity. I believe the power of the Gospel as it is presented in the living and active word of God is the only solution to the nonsensical sin of racism.
Until Jesus returns, we will have to deal with this sin. We can be ineffective and worldly in our approach or we can tap into the limitless power of the Most High and be biblical. As a parent, I choose the latter and I hope these books will be a resource to other parents who want to do the same!
Our children will get an education on race whether we like it or not. Even if we do nothing, ourselves, they are always watching and listening. We cannot prevent them from learning. We can direct that education and make sure it’s centered around Christ.
It is with that heart and conviction that I have written this series. May the Lord use it to His glory and to build up His kingdom!
Gospel-Centered Joy 