What does it mean to accept another person?
The topic I'm working on for the weekend is 'acceptance'. The text is from Romans 15. We are told to "accept one another as Christ has accepted us". In the context it's about racial and cultural acceptance.
I learned something about this from an African American pastor a long time ago. He told a story about an anglo church that invited a black church located across a town to worship together one Sunday.
Sunday came, lots of people showed up. Everyone was friendly. There were smiles all around. At the end of the day - the white folks went home proud of their church and how open-minded they were. And the black Americans went home depressed.
The African American pastor asked my class... why?
Honestly - I didn't have a clue. It seemed to me that the white church had been very accomodating. Welcomed the black folks into their church with smiles and open arms.
The African American pastor said, "Yes. They were accomodating. But they didn't include us and because they didn't include us it was clear they didn't accept us."
I still didn't get it. :)
He said, "If they wanted to include us they would have shared the music. The preaching. The prayers. But instead we were invited into their world. On their terms. At their invitation. Ultimately at their discretion. We left feeling that we were only welcome on special occasion."
Ouch! I don't know if this illustration will work it's way into Sunday's sermon or not. Probably not (otherwise I wouldn't share it days ahead of time online... in case there are any ICBers reading :)) But it does make you think....
I learned something about this from an African American pastor a long time ago. He told a story about an anglo church that invited a black church located across a town to worship together one Sunday.
Sunday came, lots of people showed up. Everyone was friendly. There were smiles all around. At the end of the day - the white folks went home proud of their church and how open-minded they were. And the black Americans went home depressed.
The African American pastor asked my class... why?
Honestly - I didn't have a clue. It seemed to me that the white church had been very accomodating. Welcomed the black folks into their church with smiles and open arms.
The African American pastor said, "Yes. They were accomodating. But they didn't include us and because they didn't include us it was clear they didn't accept us."
I still didn't get it. :)
He said, "If they wanted to include us they would have shared the music. The preaching. The prayers. But instead we were invited into their world. On their terms. At their invitation. Ultimately at their discretion. We left feeling that we were only welcome on special occasion."
Ouch! I don't know if this illustration will work it's way into Sunday's sermon or not. Probably not (otherwise I wouldn't share it days ahead of time online... in case there are any ICBers reading :)) But it does make you think....
