Sinners and Racists

Last Sunday I was participating in the Facebook live streaming of morning services of the Baptist church of my childhood.

The minister, who is a lifelong member of the church, shared a story about the circumstances around his joining the church when he was 10 years old. As was the custom, he had a discussion with the senior minister before joining, who described how the service would go. The senior minister asked the 10 year old if he were a sinner, and he said, “NO, I’m not a sinner. I’m only 10 years old!” He shared that he was a pretty good kid, but had disobeyed his parents some. He thought he had not had enough life to be a sinner. He went on to share that the senior minister told him that we are all sinners, and that we become cleansed in Christ.

It was a cute story and we all chuckled.

Then I started thinking about being a sinner. This interaction reminded me that I want to be right and justified and I am convinced that I do not do anything wrong. I’m not a sinner. Am I? On closer inspection I realized that my admission that I am a sinner gives me access to consider that whatever my view is, it may be wrong. WHAT? I may be WRONG? ME? Dang.

As our country is grappling with some extraordinary issues and points of view, racism is one issue that has reared it’s ugly head. I want to think, “I’m not racist. I have black friends. I have successfully worked with black people. I’m good. They are not talking about me.” However, with these new conversations I have started to consider that I am a sinner…