Listen

The Bible provides solid instruction on preserving or achieving peace and harmony. We can model what it looks like to be in healthy human relationships. 1st Peter 3 says:
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

We are called to pursue single-mindedness - that doesn't mean uniformity; because people are not going to all act or behave the same way.  Even in the Church, we will encounter disagreements - God did not make us all the same.  But the way we resolve conflict and pursue peace can be a testimony to the world how we all can live in harmony.  Not in a window-dressing manner, but pursuing real understanding - sharing from our hearts and listening to the stories of others as they relate their experiences.

+++++

Paul addresses the church at Ephesus about keeping the peace in Ephesians 4:
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Our hearts are certainly heavy in the aftermath of the fatal shooting in Baton Rouge this past Sunday morning, when an African-American man was responsible for taking the lives of three police officers, one black and two white.   High-profile incidents with a racial component have become all too common over the past few weeks, and while the debate can divide, the dialogue, if it's meaningful dialogue, can unite.  And, as I've said, the Church can lead the way in showing people what it's like to live harmoniously.

Tim Scott is a man of faith.  He's also a Senator from the state of South Carolina, one of only two African-Americans in the U.S. Senate.  Last week, he delivered a series of messages on the Senate floor.

WORLD Magazine reported on the content.  The article states:

On Monday, Scott spoke on the importance of supporting police officers during this time. And on Wednesday night, Scott shared his own encounters with police in a deeply personal account of how he’s been profiled because of the color of his skin, even as a U.S. senator.

He shared that he had been pulled over seven times during one year as an elected member of Congress. He said: “Was I speeding sometimes? Sure. But the vast majority of the time, I was pulled over for nothing more than driving a new car in the wrong neighborhood or some other reason just as trivial.”   And, he said that  he does not know many African-Americans who do not have a similar story, regardless of income or profession.

On Thursday, according to the story:

In his final address, Scott said while the government can do more, ultimately it cannot force Americans to resolve their differences. He said ending racial strife in America has no simple solution, but listening to one another is a good start.

He said: “I’ll continue to reach out to all my colleagues and my friends who may not look like me, who may have a different philosophy than I do, so that I can understand their hopes, their dreams, and their frustrations,” adding, “Because listening is important and as we look around at our nation, it appears to me that we haven’t done nearly enough listening to each other.”

Scott and Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma are issuing a new challenge they call “Sunday Solutions,” asking families of different races to share a meal together and hear each other’s stories.

And, Lankford recommends that the location should be a home, not a restaurant.

Another WORLD story quoted Scott: “I simply ask you this: recognize that just because you do not feel the pain, the anguish, of another does not mean it does not exist." John Stonestreet, appearing on the WORLD podcast, The World and Everything in It, stated: “What gave me pause years ago was realizing that I also saw this differently than someone who agreed with me theologically on nearly everything."  He was referring to Carl Ellis, an African-American theologian and seminary professor. Stonestreet added: “Just because I don’t have that experience doesn’t mean that experience doesn’t exist. Just because one situation can be explained away, that doesn’t mean that there are no situations in which there is injustice. There’s just a lot of assuming and not a lot of listening right now.”

Again, as believers in Christ, we can model His compassion when dealing with people who have a different racial and cultural background.  And, I think that one of Scott's significant points is that we need to listen.  Listen.  Through the relating of stories, the sharing about experiences, and the emotions produced by them, we can reach a greater level of understanding.  But, if we don't listen, then we don't learn.   And, the knowledge we acquire, combined with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, can lead to a sense of definitive action.  As Ephesians 4 reminds us, we can seek to preserve the unity of the Spirit of God, which results in true and lasting peace.