Portrait by Jason Leith, used with permission
The story goes like this. In the days of the Holocaust, on a Sunday morning, a train filled past overflowing with Jewish prisoners was headed to a Nazi prison camp where the captive men, women and children would surely be put to death. The train broke down in the countryside as it passed by a small, beautiful church. The screams for help from the train could be heard by the people who were singing hymns in the church. To drown out the screams for help, the pastor directed the choir to just “sing a little louder” to drown out the screams of the Jewish prisoners. You can watch a short video depiction of this story here.
Today at the beginning of the summer of 2020, the story goes like this. A sandwich shop employee called the police to report that a 46-year-old black man named George Floyd purchased items from the store with a counterfeit $20 bill. Police officers came to the scene and arrested George who was soon restrained and pinned down by a white police officer. The force applied to his neck ended his life. The store later said George may not even have known he had passed a counterfeit bill. Sadly, this story comes in the wake of far too many similar stories of the wrongful deaths of black citizens.
George Floyd was in fact a Christ-follower working on becoming the best disciple of Jesus he could be as he worked to leave his past behind him. Christian rap artist Corey Paul, who helped start a church in Houston, says that Floyd “took the younger guys under his wing and put them in basketball tournaments… when we did community outreach in the hood he was a person of peace”. When George left Houston for Minnesota, he was there as part of a Christian discipleship process that was going to help him get his licensing and certification so that he could drive 18 wheelers.
In his final moments, George begged for his life. Today, his last words are being chanted across the world in protest: “I can’t breathe”. George’s words to his friends before that fateful day were, “If you’re about God’s business, you’re about my business. So, whatever you need, I got you.”
There’s another person in history that could not breathe as he died by a horrible death process called crucifixion. Jesus died to bring hope and life to all people. Jesus Christ delivered many talks about his ideas to live lives that are full of justice and love. God reminds us in Psalms that “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you” (Psalm 89:14).
Yet again, in the broad brushstroke of history, the issues of race, injustice, oppression and inequality have come to the front of everyone’s mind. As a Christian leader, a follower of Jesus, you have an influential voice in the company you lead and the community in which you serve to speak out against racial injustice. Now is an important time to use it.
Yes, these issues have been around since Genesis chapter 3 in God’s word when sin entered the Garden of Eden, yet they are staring us down right now. People young and old are painting signs and protesting racism and injustice. Your church may or may not be responding, but you as a leader have your team members under your care 40 hours per week. You can respond in the sphere of influence God has given you.
What’s your role in this as a Christian leader? You’re called to seek, live out justice. “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless…” (Isaiah 1:17).
What can you do other than sing a little louder to drown out the sounds of tears in the black community today? As a follower of Jesus, you must care and decide what you might do to create change in your workplace. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Are you seeing people of color on your team as God sees them, created in His image?
Gather your leadership and think through how you might contribute to community change in your area. Give special consideration to any racial injustice in your area of influence.
Is your company still holding on to any customs, beliefs, policies or practices that lead to racism or inequities? Ask God to show you the deeper truths that may not be easily seen on the surface.
Are you listening? Gather your team members and listen to how they are feeling. Talk about how you can get better as a firm.
Is there something you could start doing to honor them at work?
Is there something you should stop doing at work that is dishonoring or marginalizing?
If you have not shared a meal with a person of color in years, set a date to do so soon and ask questions and listen. Be sure to talk less than 20% of the mealtime. Don’t talk about how YOU see history.
Watch a short video on God’s definition of Justice by Tim Mackie at The Bible Project
Read books you might normally pass up:
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Time by Os Guinness
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
The Sin of White Supremacy by Jeannine Hill Fletcher
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby
Letters To A Birmingham Jail by Piper, Perkins, Chandler
Listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
Consider that there may be some form of prejudice in you. Ask God to show you where you may need to do some work to change.
As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change”.
When God sets up his kingdom, there will finally be real justice given out by a holy God. Until then, as Christian leaders, we must not simply sing a little louder. We must get to work and ensure that we are doing all we can Monday to Friday to bring the justice and love of God to the people and workplaces we lead.
Author: GREG LEITH
Greg Leith is the CEO of Convene. He was born in Canada and lived in all four corners of North America. His career spans over 35 years of senior leadership roles in corporate, non-profit and academic sectors. Recently, he served as Director of Strategic Alliances for 13 years at Biola University in California.
At Convene Corporation, we have always been committed to growing great businesses on a Biblical platform. Today, that Biblical platform continues to guide our daily practice.