Reflections on Racism

As Executive Director of ACTION USA, I have not had the opportunity to write about some of the recent events which have left us all heartbroken. However, I believe the following statement, written by my good friend and colleague Dr. Wayne Whitbourne, Executive Director of ACTION Canada, expresses our hearts as an ACTION team.

--- Brian Stewart

Dear ACTION Members Worldwide,

I trust you are all doing well. I felt I needed to make some comments on this topic of racism which is going on around the world.

As a person of color myself, and with a wife and children who are clearly visible minorities, I feel this is a healthy discussion. Having experienced racism, I know it can hurt deeply. This is a polarizing issue and is often very emotional. 

Sometimes it takes a galvanizing issue like the death of George Floyd to cause us all to reflect, rethink our attitudes and even repent of the injustices in the past. 

I feel it is interesting that people are judged by things that they cannot change. Whatever race we are born into, the color of our skin, or our physical features, these are things we cannot change but are yet held responsible for. 

What we can change is our character, our attitude, our perceptions, the way we view people and the way we treat them. Conversations like the ones that are taking place now may be painful, but I believe they will help us to make positive changes if handled properly. 

The Bible is clear that all people are made in the image of God. For those of us who hold a literal view of the Bible we are told we have a common ancestry (Genesis 1:26-28).  Yet we forget that and are divided along racial lines which have historical, health, and educational impacts. 

I trust the Church, the body of Christ will respond in a way that honors Christ. We should be prayerfully striving for a world where power and privilege will not be the measuring stick to inform the way we treat others or perceive them.

Blessings!

Wayne Whitbourne