A Christian Response to Divisions

A Christian Response to Divisions 

              “The problem with millennials today is a lack of gratitude. I’m sitting here in a wonderful coffee shop which I was able to safely drive to and looking around me, and everyone I know has good jobs, families, American freedom and so many other blessings, but millennials are complaining anyway.  They keep demanding social and political change even though life is so good. They really need to learn gratitude.” This paraphrased post came across my Facebook a few months ago as one of those friends-of-a-friend shares. I do not know the person who first said it, but the message alone was enough to make me mad, and then it made me think. She is probably right. Everyone she knows probably does have a good job, a (mostly) functional family, and enjoys freedom and privilege and “so many other blessings” in the United States. But does that mean there are not serious issues that need radical political and social change, or does it mean that she needs new friends?

              American society is deeply segregated and not just by race. My home city of Fort Wayne had the dubious distinction of having some of the fastest growing physical stratification by income. In other words, people in Allen county tend to live in the same zip code as other people in their tax brackets. This is how Allen County has the wealthiest zip code in Indiana (46765) and the poorest zip code (46803). In 46765 (Le0), less than 0.7% of people live below the poverty line; eleven miles away (in 46803) more than 50% of residents live in poverty. Americans also love to separate by age and phase of life. It is assumed that once someone marries, they will leave their single friends behind; once they have kids, they will leave their childless couple friends behind; and once they hit retirement, they will move into a 55+ neighborhood just to stay near people who are like them. We segregate by religion and, within religions, by denominations. And we segregate by political affiliation. And, of course, we are segregated by race. 95% of churches in America are 95% or more a single race. As Martin Luther King Jr. remarked (and it has not changed since his death), “11 o’clock on Sunday is the most segregated hour in America.”

              This segregated society does not breed open communication between people who are different than each other. There is a good chance, an American’s only interactions with someone of a different race, income level, or age bracket are superficial--- cordial coworkers, service industry workers, passing each other in the supermarket, etc. So, it would make sense that this gal on Facebook could look at all her friends and say, “none of us see a problem.”  

Children tend to assume their experience of the world is “the norm.” If a six-year-old boy has a little sister, he may be surprise that his classmate does not. Or a 4-year-old girl may see every elderly man and assume they are a grandpa because in her experience, that is what old men are. Even children who grow up in extreme situations—violence, hunger, addiction--- cope by normalizing it. This is cute when kids do it, but adults are supposed to grow out of it. When adults fail to grow out of it, you get a millennial with perfect health informing a boomer who has 13 prescription medications that “Drug prices really aren’t that high.” Or the boomer demanding of the millennial, “How did you get so much student loan debt?!” You have white Americans telling black Americans that racism isn’t really that bad. And high school Spanish dropouts demanding immigrants “just learn English! It’s not that hard.”

The best gift we can give people who are different than us is to shut up and listen. In Acts 10, God sent the Apostle Peter to the gentile Cornelius’ house to preach the Gospel. Racial and class divides between them were so great that it took two visions and a divine command to get him there. He preached, God moved, and salvation came to us gentiles. Rather than rejoice at the revival, the Jewish Christians summed Peter and began accusing him (Acts 11:3). But then they heard his story--- he told them about the visions, the command, the Spirit of God descending, and they changed their minds and accepted these new, strange, brothers and sisters in Christ. The growing pains from that integration were not that simple, but it illustrates just what can be accomplished when Christians listen first.

How can Christians in America listen better?

• ·     Get new friends. If you cannot identify anyone in your circle who is different than you in race, age, or income, do something about that. Volunteer with a new group or talk to the coworker or neighbor you just politely nod at.
• ·       Stop assuming your experience is normal. It is probably not.
• ·       Give people the benefit of the doubt. If your black neighbor shares with you they have experienced racism, believe them. If a female coworker tells you that the men at the office make her uncomfortable, do not assume she is being oversensitive.  If your older friend admits that he does not know how he will pay for his healthcare, take it seriously. Occasionally a person will give you a reason not to believe them, but most people are fairly good at reporting their own experiences.
• ·       Learn how to interpret studies and statistics. Trust them. Often these give a much better picture of life in America than “me and my friends’’’ experiences.  
• ·       Listen more than you talk (Jm 1:19).  Learn to say, “I’ve never experienced that. Teach me.”

Sources

https://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20191127/county-holds-extremes-in-poverty-rate