Number 12 is a difficult passage to navigate in today’s political and cultural climate. The discussions are increasingly polarised, and our society’s attempts to confront racism constantly run the risk of being hijacked by virtue-signalling, and tokenism. This can make conversations about racism eve more complex, and many parents may feel this is simply a week to miss! Can I encourage you to explore this in your family worship time? Jesus thinks it is important enough to address (12:4), and that in itself should warn us of the dangers of ducking the issues!

In my sermon on this passage I sought to highlight the danger and the incongruity of racism in the Church by putting it against the backdrop of God’s vision for the Church as a multi-ethnic reality, characterised by unity without uniformity, and difference without division. That would be a great place to start any conversation. Col.3:11; Gal.3:28, Rev.7:9-12, Eph.4:1-6 would all be great passages to start with. One of those could easily be a memory verse / passage for the week!

How could you celebrate the way God brings us together from different cultures, countries and ethnicities, unites us in Christ, and dwells in us by His Spirit..?

Another way in might be to explore the idea that God doesn’t show partiality (Dt.10:17). Usually in the Bible this is about rich / poor divides (e.g. Job 34:19). Mind you, that is something else that brings division to Church life. How many Churches are divided along racial / ethnic groupings; or by ‘class’ or wealth lines? Why is this a bad thing? What other ways do we segregate Churches..? e.g. by age, culture, special interests? What do you think God thinks of Churches like that?

With older children / youth this could be a great opportunity to explore the difference between our culture’s response to racism (such as BLack Lives Matter) and something that is specifically Christian... How does a clear understanding of Church and discipleship teach us to be people who cannot be racist?

You might want to watch Martin Luther King’s speech from the Lincoln Memorial: I have a dream. You can see it here.

The Church of England Evangelical Council has produced a 30 minute video looking at the question of racism, ethnicity and justice. You might want to watch this as parents (rather than as a family) and use it to help you help your children think some of these issues through.

A very straightforward question to reflect on as a family might simply be: Is MIE racist? or: Are there racist people in our Church? And how would we know? It can feel combative, but can we have the conversation without prejudice? The reason after all that Numbers 12 is in the Bible is that - like all the lessons the Ancient Church had to learn - it is a sin that the Church will always have to be dealing with.

Prayer:

Merciful God,

you are righteous and love justice:

stir the hearts of your people that,

rejoicing in our diversity,

we may repent of the wrongs of the past,

and, by your grace, seek the peaceable kingdom of your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ,

who lives and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.