Welcome to “Athlos” a weekly blog which examines pillars of personal excellence and regularly brings together the worlds of Christian spirituality and sport.
The Reality of Racism
“…a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution”-Acts 6:1b (ESV)
Appreciating Africanism
Racism in the Bible? No chance!
Well, many readers of Holy Scripture are aware that one of its notable qualities is its transparency. The Bible does not hide human error, failings, or folly. It is not surprising, then, to see a passage like Acts 6 above where, at first glance, there seemed to be some form of discrimination or neglect. It was the Hellenists against the Hebrews i.e., the Greek-speaking Jews versus the Aramaic-speaking Palestinian Jews. Ultimately, the issue was resolved but the problem was real.
Diversity based language, culture, geography, gender or ethnicity are a real part of modern-day life. The challenge we face is to appreciate those differences. It is one of the reasons I join the African continent in celebrating two significant victories at this year’s FIFA World Cup.
The first moment of African pride in Qatar was to see Morocco reach the quarterfinals. This has never happened before in their history. Well done! The second success is, arguably, even more consequential. All five African nations who qualified for Qatar 2022 had local coaches at the helm. That’s a big deal and a statement about the sport’s growth, both on and off the field.
We would all agree that competence more than ethnicity is what should place persons in positions of authority and leadership. Yet, too often, we have witnessed inequity in various spheres of life. We may not be able to fix global inequality, but we can inspire change in our own spheres of influence. The starting point is respecting every individual, treating them with dignity and appreciating their worth.
Embracing Egalitarianism
By grace, we were created in God’s image. May we value the divine beauty that we all possess.
If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.
