Black History Month

February is Black History month.  Why does Black History Month matter to a mostly white congregation in a mostly white community?  One answer is found when we start to think about the way our lives are better off for the contributions of African Americans.  Black scientists and inventors.  Public servants and advocates for justice.  Athletes and entertainers.  Innovators and soldiers.  We celebrate Black History Month because men and women of color have contributed greatly to our society.

We also celebrate it because those contributions were made against the current of racism, even subjugation.  We recognize these accomplishments because, from the outset, the societal deck was stacked against them ever happening.  These men and women overcame not just the normal obstacles that we all face.  They played on a tilted field and still prevailed.  That’s why we honor these achievements. 

Yet it is perhaps even more important for us as the people of God to remember Black History Month.  It forces us to look beyond our own experience and honor the experience of other parts of God’s family.  In considering the achievements of our black brothers and sisters, we are reminded again that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, black nor white.  We are all children of God by faith.