Merita Leitu, one of our Samoan sisters, has experienced racism. Here she shares with us how she endeavours to deal with it, suggesting it works both ways.
Racism is an issue throughout history. We are all human and each of us has a different mindset. And yet the issue of racism still exists in this world and we can not solve it, unless we all humble ourselves to each other with love, having forgiveness towards each other.
Genesis 1:27 says God created mankind in His own image. It specifies male and female, but it does not say anything about brown, black, white… Samoan, Latino, Chinese, Ethiopian…
For me personally, I love praying, studying the Bible and learning. I love the story of 1 Kings 3:5-9. God appears to Solomon in a dream, saying “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” These verses mean so much to me because Solomon did not ask for wealth. He asked for an understanding heart because he was dealing with so many people. It gives me confidence that if I pray from my heart to God, and study and learn, I can feel His wisdom and knowledge in me, showing me how to love, be patient and humble to others, and live in peace with them. No one is perfect. We are all sinners and we will never solve our problems with others unless we are both humble and empathic, loving each other.
I was driving home late in the morning and a woman driving next to me started swearing at me. I don’t know why. I continued driving a little faster, in case I was too slow, but we were both stopped at the next set of traffic lights. She wound down her window and said something that totally shocked me.
“GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY.”
I just replied “God bless your mouth.” She faced forward, then drove off. I just smiled, and did not think seriously about it again. It happened. It was done. The past. To this day, I believe that God is the one who will deal with her. He loves us both. And everyone like her. He loves us all.
Some people will try to test your patience, to make you feel bad and to fight back. It only results in verbal, even physical, violence, pain and sometimes death.
Matthew 18 records when Jesus was asked how many times we should forgive someone? Peter reached for a really big number in his estimation – seven times? Jesus said not seven times… but seventy times seven times!
We are in the last days of the great controversy between God and the devil. Jesus will soon return. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us to be vigilant, because our adversary “as a roaring lion walks about seeking who he may devour.” My prayer, for those of you who are hurting because of racism, and for those of you struggling with being racist, that the Lord our God will bless your day, and let you know how much He cares for us all.
Merita Leitu