Talking to your child about race
Another incident has fanned the flame of racial tension and inequity. Your child sees the images on television, reads angry comments on social media or simply hears friends talking about the fallout.
Or perhaps your child repeats a racial slur heard at school and asks you what it means.
Maybe you’ve adopted a child from a different racial background, prompting questioning stares from strangers or insensitive remarks from friends.
Even worse, your child may have experienced the ugly reality of racism in a personal, hurtful way.
How do you talk to a young child about matters that should not exist, but very much do?
Christian parents have a responsibility to help their children understand race, human dignity and reconciliation from a biblical perspective. Rather than a one-time discussion, make it an ongoing conversation in light of five foundational realities.
How to discuss race?
EVERYONE HAS EQUAL WORTH AND DIGNITY
Every human being is made in the image and likeness of God. This is what gives each person worth. Not their appearance, abilities or accomplishments. The value system of our world is unlike God’s value system. As the Bible says in Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This is why we insist on treating every person with respect and dignity.
WE HAVE SIN IN OUR HEARTS
The Bible tells us about a universal “disease” when it says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (See Romans 3:23) This includes kids at school, political leaders, entertainers, police officers, pastors and parents. One way we “fall short” is by accepting or participating in the sin of racism. Children need to hear their parents, for example, overtly condemn rather than ignore or excuse racial slurs and racially motivated hatred.
It can be a mistake to passively dismiss racism by claiming to be “colorblind” when the goal is to help your child celebrate the beauty of all colors and the rich diversity within our shared human race. Viewing any person as less valuable than yourself is wrong. We should worship God for His amazing creativity rather than mistrust, fear or disrespect someone just because they have a different skin color.
One sad reality of living in a fallen world is that no matter how much progress is made or time passes, there will always be a segment of the population who act out hatred. Some hate due to feelings of racial superiority. Others hate out of anger for past injustices or offense. Neither is fitting for a follower of Jesus Christ.
Sin has been spoiling our world for many generations, something clearly evident in history as one group enslaved, intimidated or killed another. Starting at a young age, children encounter the dark side of human history which includes an African slave trade, colonial exploitation, the Holocaust and Jim Crow laws. We need to give them a way to reconcile such evils with belief in a good God.
Parents should avoid the temptation to “ignore the past and move on” for two reasons. First, those who ignore the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them. Second, humility demands that we recognize that some of us experience economic and other advantages that we didn’t earn while others face obstacles that they didn’t create due to the long-term impact of racial inequality and injustice.
Giving children a biblical perspective can help them avoid being disillusioned when they encounter such dreadful historical realities in school, books, films or other places. They can process what they see and hear in light of Christian theology that tells us we live in a fallen world and that there are serious, multi-generational consequences of sin that are not part of God’s original plan.
Kuzungumza na Mtoto Wako Kuhusu Jamii Mtoto wako anaona picha za hasira kwenye televisheni, anasoma maoni ya hasira kwenye mitandao ya kijamii, au anasikia marafiki wakizungumza juu ya matokeo. Au labda mtoto wako anarejelea maneno ya ukatili ya rangi aliyosikia shuleni na kukuuliza maana yake. Labda umemchukua mtoto wa jamii tofauti, na hilo limesababisha watu wasiowajua wakutazama kwa mashaka au marafiki wakusema mambo yasiyo ya adili. Hata hivyo, hata hivyo, mtoto wako anaweza kuwa na uzoefu mbaya wa ubaguzi wa rangi kwa njia ya kibinafsi na yenye kuumiza. Unawezaje kuzungumza na mtoto mdogo kuhusu mambo ambayo hayapaswi kuwepo, lakini yanapatikana sana? Wazazi Wakristo wana jukumu la kuwasaidia watoto wao kuelewa jamii, heshima ya kibinadamu na upatanisho kutoka kwa mtazamo wa Kibiblia. Badala ya kuwa mazungumzo ya mara moja, fanya kuwa mazungumzo ya kuendelea kwa kuzingatia mambo matano ya msingi. Jinsi ya Kuzungumzia Jamii? Kila mtu ana thamani sawa na heshima, kila mtu ameumbwa kwa mfano na mfano wa Mungu. Hilo ndilo linalompa kila mtu thamani. Si sura yao, uwezo wao, au mafanikio yao. Mfumo wa maadili wa ulimwengu wetu haufanani na mfumo wa maadili wa Mungu. "Mwanzo 1:27 inasema hivi: ""Mungu akamwumba mwanadamu kwa mfano wake, kwa mfano wa Mungu akamwumba; mwanamume na mwanamke akawaumba."" - Mwanzo 1:7 - ""Mungu aliumba mwanadamu kwa mfano wake, kwa mfano wa Mungu, kwa mfano wa Mungu, kwa mfano wa Mungu.""" "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika Warumi 3:23, ""Wote wamefanya dhambi na kukosa utukufu wa Mungu"" (Kumbuka Warumi 3:3) ni pamoja na watoto, viongozi wa kisiasa, wasanii, maafisa wa polisi, wachungaji na wazazi." Njia moja ambayo "tunafeli" ni kwa kukubali au kushiriki katika dhambi ya ubaguzi wa rangi. Watoto wanahitaji kusikia wazazi wao, kwa mfano, wakishutumu waziwazi badala ya kupuuza au kuhalalisha matusi ya rangi na chuki inayosababishwa na rangi. "Inaweza kuwa kosa kukataa ubaguzi wa rangi kwa kudai kuwa ""colorblind"" wakati lengo ni kusaidia mtoto wako kusherehekea uzuri wa rangi zote na utofauti tajiri ndani ya jamii yetu ya binadamu." Kuona mtu yeyote kuwa mwenye thamani kidogo kuliko wewe ni kosa. Tunapaswa kumwabudu Mungu kwa ubunifu wake wa ajabu badala ya kutomuamini, kumwogopa au kumheshimu mtu kwa sababu tu ana rangi tofauti ya ngozi. "Ukweli mmoja wenye kuhuzunisha wa kuishi katika ulimwengu ulioanguka ni kwamba, haijalishi maendeleo mengi yamefanywa au wakati unapita, daima kutakuwa na sehemu ya watu ambao huonyesha chuki.""" Wengine huchukia kwa sababu ya hisia za ubora wa rangi. Wengine huchukia kwa sababu ya hasira kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa haki au kosa la zamani. Hakuna jambo lolote linalofaa kwa mfuasi wa Yesu Kristo. Dhambi imekuwa ikiharibu ulimwengu wetu kwa vizazi vingi, jambo ambalo linaonekana wazi katika historia wakati kikundi kimoja kilipokuwa kikimtumikia, kumtisha au kumuua mwingine. Kuanzia umri mdogo, watoto wanakutana na upande wa giza wa historia ya binadamu ambayo ni pamoja na biashara ya watumwa wa Kiafrika, unyonyaji wa kikoloni, Holocaust na sheria za Jim Crow. Tunahitaji kuwapa njia ya kupatanisha uovu kama huo na imani katika Mungu mwema. Wazazi wapaswa kuepuka kishawishi cha "kupuuza mambo ya zamani na kuendelea na maisha yao" kwa sababu mbili. Kwanza, wale wanaopuuza makosa ya historia wameahidiwa kuyafanya tena. "Kwa hiyo, unyenyekevu unahitaji kutambua kwamba baadhi yetu hupata faida za kiuchumi na nyingine ambazo hatukuzipata, wakati wengine wanakabiliwa na vizuizi ambavyo hawakuziumba kwa sababu ya athari za muda mrefu za ukosefu wa usawa wa rangi na ukosefu wa haki.""" Kuwapa watoto mtazamo wa Biblia kunaweza kuwasaidia kuepuka kukata tamaa wanapokutana na mambo ya kweli ya kihistoria yenye kuogopesha kama hayo shuleni, katika vitabu, filamu, au mahali pengine. "Wanaweza kuchanganua kile wanachoona na kusikia kwa kuzingatia theolojia ya Kikristo ambayo inatuambia kwamba tunaishi katika ulimwengu uliopotea na kwamba kuna matokeo mabaya ya dhambi ya vizazi vingi ambayo si sehemu ya mpango wa awali wa Mungu."""