26 March 2012

Questions


As a the father of two biological children, an Ethiopian daughter and soon to be father of a Haitian daughter and son, the killing of Trayvon Martin has affected me more deeply than I would have anticipated.  I am left with so many questions and few answers. 

  • What will I tell my children, when they are old enough to understand, that sometimes people are killed because of the color of their skin? 
  • How can I explain to them that the way a person dresses, walks or talks sometimes brings hate to the surface?  
  •  How will I reassure them that they are safe when racial tension is so alive and well?   
  • How do I teach my sons to love others well, stay humble, and have a heart of service?   
  • How do I instruct my sons to be servant leaders in their homes and churches rather than giving in to what society expects them to be?   
  • Why will I have to explain to my daughters that there may be some neighborhoods where they are just not safe?   
  • How will I comfort my son when someone calls him a racial slur for no reason?   
  • Would it be better for all of us if we lived somewhere else?   
  • What will I say when they ask, “was I treated that way because I did something wrong?”   
  • How will I let them know that there are some well-meaning people who want to sweep racial differences under the rug and pretend life is the same for people of all colors, when it just isn’t?   
  • What will I feel when they want to explore their identities and relationships in much deeper ways independent from us?   
  • Are we doing the right thing? 

Though I am more settled on some of the questions than others, there are no easy answers.  I do believe that I have been called to be a husband and a father.  I believe that God has, so far, entrusted five children to my care.  I don’t know what the future holds and I am okay with the unknown.  God has a habit of not revealing his entire plan in advance.   I continue to learn to trust Him, knowing that my job is to keep moving forward, living in light of what I do know and leaving the rest to Him. 

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