The secular world has offered many governmental solutions
for our growing racial divide. However, these solutions have not stemmed this
divide. Instead, it seems to be growing worse. What then must be done? Helen’s
story makes it obvious that the change must begin on the inside (and also from
Above) with each one of us:
I grew up in the Lower East Side of New York City, going to church but
not understanding what church or what God was all about. It was just a part of
what my family did. Did I really believe? No. I thought it was just a wonderful
fairy tale that I wish was really true. But my family and I continued to go to
church. Was there a God, and who was this God? I didn’t know. It wasn’t until I
got older and I start experiencing life and the FACT was that I was born
another color, not white. This is my fact and society didn’t make me feel any
better about myself. I grew up not wanting this color but every time I looked
in the mirror that’s what I saw, me. Growing up, even as a little girl, I was
judged, I was ostracized; I wasn’t chosen because of my color. For other
people, if you were French, Jewish or
whatever if you’re the right color you
would fit in and be accepted. You could be transgender or whatever you chose to
be and no one would know unless you maybe spoke out and said this is who you
are. But I walked around with this color and I didn’t like myself. As a child I wished
I could’ve bleached this color
and be made just like everybody else, then I would feel
accepted. But this was me. I didn’t feel loved; nor did I really love
myself. As I got older my question was
always, “God, who are You, where are You, what is this (life all about?” I still hoped that there was a God. I began
to believe as I began to read the Bible, even though I didn’t know anything
about the Bible, nothing about the word of God. But as I looked into God’s word.
He was the only one, the only Being that told me, no matter what I looked like
or where I grew up, that I was loved by Him.
So I decided to venture more and find out about this God.
But you know what's weird, what made me believe more in this God, is that
I started to understand that this God knew more than me and more than you. When
He said in His Word that the earth was a circle, while everyone in the past said
that the Earth is flat, I said to myself, “Who is this God who says the earth
is a circle and it is?”
When I started to read that this God said, thousands of years ago, to a
tribe of people who knew nothing, didn't understand science, and knew nothing
about real medical doctors, not to circumcise a child until the 8th day, I began
to wonder why would this God had said, “on the eight day.” Later on I found out that scientists are now
saying that the eighth day is when Vitamin K (needed for blood clotting) goes
up to a the highest level, and a child can be circumcised, but after that, it
starts to drop. When I started to investigate those things it made me wonder
who could have known these things. They didn’t have doctors or scientist at
that time so it impacted me. So that's why my faith in this God, which I read
about, is very important and it’s very real.
So I know today that no matter what I am, I am loved. No matter what
what people see me as or think of me, no matter what anyone says, I am loved by
God and that’s all that matters. And so what I understand now is that I can
love because my God loves me and has taught me and continues to show me how to
really love anyone and everyone no matter who or what they are. There were times that I too would lie. I
would lie to cover my skin if necessary. But I came to a time, after my
encounter with God, when I understood how wrong lying was, even a “white
lie.” I understood it was wrong because it
would either hurt my husband, my family, other people, and it would hurt me.
You know why? Because it would stay inside me and it would keep reminding me
that there was something that I did that was not truthful, whether God told me
in my heart or not. When I began to understand a little more about God, this
lesson was reinforced in me.
So that’s my faith, I know there is a God. I know there has to be a Creator
who named all the stars, as written in the Book of Job. God names the stars,
constellations, etc. Then ask yourself, “Who is this God?”
It is worth finding out; it is worth investigating. Yes, I guess I used
to be an agnostic because I went to a church, and I didn’t know anything about
God, I didn’t believe anything. I wasn’t sure but as I got older and continued
to search, it has become evident inside of me. But that is my faith, what I've
come to believe.
As Helen’s teacher, I can readily see that the Lord has
brought her a long way. I have been so impressed by her vision and vitality
that I just wanted to share her story.
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