The longest post in blog history!

I keep putting this off b/c these posts take a loooong time (like hours and hours!) as I really have to try to hash out what I know to be true from the bible and what the world is telling me I must do for my soon to be "multi-ethnic" family. It is good for me to do because it challenges my assumptions and sets me on a firmer foundation of the sufficiency of Christ once I get done. So I continue on.

Just a recap - White priveledge is defined as an invisible pack of assets I possess because I am white. It is suggested by some social workers that we are to specifically teach our adopted children about this phenomenon. In a previous post I made the case that I think it IS right to proactively be preparing our child for harsh treatment they might encounter based on their race, however, I am not in full agreement with their proposed solutions. I don't trudge through this to lecture to anyone, but instead I do it with a heart that wants to love my little one and not do him or her harm. You are walking beside me in this not following behind : ) Thanks for bearing with me...this is getting to be a weighty topic!

I'm honestly not sure where to start in organizing my thoughts so I will just start by listing what I know to be true about ALL people and see where that leaves us.

• "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Gen 1:27 Everything in creation reflects who God is to some degree, but humans were given the honor of showing His character more clearly. Examples would include our relationships and capacities that separate us from other creatures such as reasoning, emotion, morality, language, etc. Therein lies the worth of ALL human beings of ALL races. Much of the world claims that morally we are to preserve life and treat people equally, but those who reject God have no concrete standard. So the bar moves and an answer to what is moral changes depending on the personal values of each person - this is called moral relativism. Moral relativism has no firm foundation. If you carry forth the logic of moral relativism it is easily found to be flawed. The Bible sets forth a clear standard for the worth of all people.

• "From now on , therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." 2 Cor 5:16-17 Flesh here is synonymous with standards that the world may come up with (gender, race, disability to name a few). The phrase "from now on" is referring to after the death and resurrection of Christ and the establishment of a new covenant between God and man. Here Paul is explaining that we are not to look at someone and judge them according to worldly standards but instead look at them as God sees them. Paul had seen Christ as a false Messiah according to the Pharisees standards, however, after becoming a recipient of the grace of salvation he affirms that he regards Christ this way no longer. In light of this verse we are to no longer regard ANYONE according to any standard EXCEPT that which the Lord has set, namely, that they are made in the image of the Lord and are thus to be valued simply for that reason.

• "'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' And he (Jesus) said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matt 22:34-38 If this isn't one that makes us run to the gospel for refuge I don't know what is! Have you EVER spent a minute where you have loved God with ALL your heart ALL your soul, and ALL your mind? Praise God for the provision of a savior that covers us with His righteousness that we through Him might be cleansed of our sins and be credited the perfect life the Christ lived. Perfect justice meets perfect love nowhere else but in the cross of Christ!

• "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:20-21. The ax has been put into any argument for ANY kind of prejudice or bias against another person. It can't be justified. As Christians we MUST love our neighbor as ourself...even our enemies! (Rom 12:20, Matt 5:44-45)

• "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." Romans 3:10-12 Essential to the foundation we are to build on in raising our multi-ethnic family amidst a fallen world. This child's mama and daddy are sinners. Their brother and sister are sinners. He or she is a sinner. The child that is kind to them at the park is a sinner. The lady who glares at us at the grocery store is a sinner. It is not to be an "us against them" fight where colors are even considered. The human race itself is unified perfectly in its sinfulness against a holy God. In my opinion people preoccupy themselves with drawing colored lines in an effort to escape their own sinfulness to the God who they have offended. Putting others down lifts myself up. It is much easier and also more entertaining to my prideful heart to stuff down that feeling that I need to be reconciled to something bigger - namely Christ.

• "The heart is decietful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it." Jeremiah 17:9 The reason for our depravity - a sick heart that decieves us from our need for reconciliation to God. A heart that refuses to obey and puts ourselves on the throne over the Lord and Author of Life. In answering how it is possible that anyone can be saved to eternal life Jesus answered, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 This verse in particular continually reminds me of the state of my own heart. Though I (and all other believers) by the grace of God have been the recipient of a new heart (Ezek. 11:19-20, Matt 19:28, John 3:3,5,7 and Titus 3:5) I continue to sin. Knowing the true condition of our hearts enables us to walk humbly through this life, able to forgive others freely b/c of the great forgiveness shown to us by God. This will greatly affect how we recieve unkindness as we are reminded that the only thing we are truly deserving of is eternal punishment in hell. There is no expectation having the "right" to being treated well - it is ALL grace. There is no expectation to be given a comfortable life - ALL is grace. When looking into the eyes of unkindness that ALL my children will inevitably face simply by being alive in a fallen world this verse reminds us that those eyes are windows into our own hearts showing us how desperately wicked mankind is. I am guilty of having a wicked heart. There is NO room for being a good person in the gospel of Christ. Yet as a believer I can rejoice amidst my depravity that the Lord is able AND willing to save me!

Whoa, this is crazy long. It has helped me to lay a foundation for practically what it will look like to raise our child - which I will continue in another post. If you accomplished reading this then you are maybe just a bit less crazy than me.