Would Jesus say, "Black Lives Matter?"

I believe that if Jesus came to us today, he would in some way say to all of us, “Black lives matter!* Be humble, listen, and love with my love.”

My heart is troubled.

As I look at the various viewpoints about the racial tension and highly publicized killings, my biggest takeaway is deep sadness. Wives have lost their husbands. Children have lost their fathers. Mothers have lost their children. We all have lost brothers and sisters.

Many parents today are wondering, “What am I called to do in response?”

Our encouragement today – talk with your kids about how Jesus responded to marginalized groups of people during his life. HE is our model!

At a time in history when children were dismissed and largely considered irrelevant, Jesus said, “Let the children come to me! For they are like the kingdom.” It turns out that children matter! Do they matter more than anyone else? No, but this was a great opportunity to elevate the unique way in which children matter. Jesus similarly highlighted Gentiles, women, orphans, lepers, and the poor. He also did this with Samaritans, the closest equivalent in the Jewish world to the racial tension of today. In essence, by telling the story of the Good Samaritan (see Luke 10), and by ministering to the Samaritan woman at the well (see John 4), Jesus proclaimed, “Samaritan lives matter!” Jesus consistently sent the message, “The people you think of as less important are equally important!”

This is the perfect opportunity to talk with your family about things that are important to God. How will we show love and compassion?

At Connected Families, we teach parents “The Peace Process.” It’s a tool for helping parents guide their kids through sibling conflict. Parents love it and even young children, once they learn it, develop compassion for others. Your greatest influence is in your family. You can make a difference by teaching your children how to seek peace with others. This process has profound application in today’s current climate.

Simply stated, the Peace Process is this: Get calm. Seek understanding. Seek solutions together. Celebrate even the slightest progress.

We will leave you with this from Micah 6:8 (The Message): “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously–take God seriously.”

*As followers of Christ, we align ourselves only with the Bible – not a political party, a denomination, or a societal stance.