Personal reflections and thoughts in light of recent world events

Anyone who has watched the video of George Floyd being detained by police officers in Minnesota will never be the same again. When it popped up in one of my feeds, I hadn’t heard anything about the incident. I watched in disbelief as this man’s life ended right there on camera with people screaming for the individual with his knee on his neck to stop and help him. Four police officers have since been charged in connection to this incident.

We’ve all seen what came next.

I flashed back to the L.A. Riots of 1992 in response to the acquittal of the police officers who had been videotaped while detaining and beating Rodney King.


A recent experience
My son and I were stopped by a police officer from the Vancouver Police Department at about 10:30pm on our way to pick up my daughter from a social-distanced, I have to say it, visit in Aldergrove. Our tail light was out and apparently we were speeding. When the officer said, “Keep your hands where I can see them” with a flashlight pointed at my son, I have to say that it felt kind of unsettling. At the exact same moment and under the cloak of darkness, a second police cruiser approached us at a high rate of speed and the officer then flicked on her lights and stopped beside our car.

After a small wait, the first officer returned and sent us on our way: “Fix that light and watch your speed.”

The timing of this incident led both of us to reflect on and discuss everything unfolding in the United States.

My experience with the police; my experience with racism
I’m a visible minority.

I’m an immigrant.
I’m a proud and thankful-to-be Canadian.
I’ve never felt afraid of the police.
I trust our police.

I have had the privilege of growing up in a community where I felt loved, encouraged, and supported by people of all skin tones. It’s amazing, really. So many of these people are family to me, and it has nothing to do with anyone’s skin colour.

The closest thing to racism that I can think of growing up in Abbotsford is when a girl, who I’m quite certain had a crush on me, was intending to compliment me by saying: “You’re East Indian, but you’re different.” It’s not really a compliment, is it? I’m one of them, but I’m not like them with the suggestion that I, for some reason, don’t manifest the things that make them so... different?

The reality is that anyone who is a visible minority has developed skills to interact well with people who may be looking at you sideways. We’ve all experienced standing in a lineup where the three people in front of you are treated in a consistent and friendly way by the cashier, and then it somehow changes just a bit when it’s your turn. The skills we’ve developed include working a bit harder to build trust with this person so they treat you similarly.  They need to know that you are in fact one of those people, but you’re different than the negative stereotypes that they clearly hold of those people.

I always give people the benefit of the doubt: It couldn’t be because of that! Perhaps it’s because of what I’m wearing or maybe they’re just tired after dealing with the three people in front of me.

Going Forward
It’s not going to be enough for us to post blacked out screens to our social media accounts. It’s not going to be enough for us to watch horrible acts of violence and shake our heads in disbelief. It’s not going to be enough for us to put up posters in our hallways at school. It’s not going to be enough for us to see something negative happening and choose not to participate.

Something deeper needs to happen.

We need to be ready to stand against the injustices that take place in the environments in which we operate.

Followers of Christ

In Canada, we need to be the ones who are advocates for our Indigenous sisters and brothers; advocates! Are we really okay with graduation rates being lower, suicide rates being higher, poverty rates being higher...????? If we’re okay with going on with our lives; out of sight, out of mind; what will God ask of us when we see Him in person? I wonder if he will ask me: “What did you do to help?”

In Canada, we need to be the ones who invite people, all types of people, into our lives and homes as beloved friends.

In Canada, we need to be the ones who stop laughing at jokes and begin acting with compassion.

I wonder if a truly sold out approach to the following passage is the answer for followers of Jesus?

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20

GO
Wow, this is a serious commitment that requires a passion and love for people to the point that you are willing to leave something behind and GO. The best part of this call is that we don’t need to go far! The peoples of the world are here!! So are we willing to GO across the road with a plate of cookies? Are we willing to GO across the yard to offer a hand? Are we willing to GO across town to pray for people who have lost a loved one?

MAKE DISCIPLES
Have you ever discipled someone or been discipled by someone? I have been and am being discipled by my dad until the day that he or I die. He is available to me at all times. He is in prayer for me a lot of the time. He calls to check in on me as the Spirit of God nudges him. He invites me over and makes tea and tries to feed me food every time I visit. We can talk for hours or just sit together for hours. Making disciples is a serious investment in someone. Who will God have you disciple?

OF ALL NATIONS
Again, the nations are here in Canada and all around us. Who will God have you disciple?

BAPTIZING AND TEACHING THEM
We are to offer them the gift of hope and salvation provided through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. We are to offer it to everyone: “For God so loved the world that He gave...” (John 3:16).


If I’m 100% sold out to the call to GO - MAKE DISCIPLES - OF ALL NATIONS - BAPTIZING AND TEACHING THEM, what difference will it makes if the person who moved in next door, started working at my school, joined my class, or is in the lineup at Costco in front of me looks different than me?