Racism

https://odb.org/MY/2021/12/16/what-are-you

Born, raised and growing up in Malaysia, most if not all of us would have experienced some form of racism as minorities. In fact, Malaysia is well known for her institutionalised racial discrimination that every Malaysian knows that if a level playing field was established in all economic sectors, we could at least be on par with Singapore in terms of economic and social development. As it is, we are now even trailing behind our other neighbours like Thailand and Vietnam. We are so blessed with a multi ethnic community and an English speaking heritage courtesy of our British colonial masters and yet our politicians managed to squander away that headstart in life.

I grew up in a state with 99% of its population of the majority race and although it is one of the nicest states to live in, I could not have escaped racism one way or another. After so many years I could only recall an incident or two and now in retrospect, it is easy to forgive and forget. But I do know that it was not easy to do so when I first experienced it then. It may look trivial now but it was something big then for a teenager growing up! Now with more maturity and experience in life and in God, I acknowledge the impossibility of people with a different racial, religious and cultural upbringing to fully accept others as one of them.

Fortunately, in Christ, we are all the same and equal before God – whether we are Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, educated or not, Malay or Chinese or Indian or white or black. Our blood is still red and our hearts will all cease to function if we don’t take care of our bodies. We are all equally susceptible to Covid-19 and we all stand an equal chance to get infected if we are not fully vaccinated. There is no discrimination when it comes to cancer or viruses or bacteria.

If we have ever experienced racial discrimination in our lives, forgive and forget and let the past be bygones. We make do with whatever opportunities God had made and will make available to us and do the best under the circumstances. As I have implied before, it is better to be discriminated against and be in Christ than be the one discriminating and live in darkness. It is better to have less opportunities and privileges in life but with Christ than have all the opportunities and wealth in the world but without Christ. Ultimately what we have stored in heaven that counts for eternity. Pride and prejudice are part of life even in homogeneous societies but in God, everyone is a child of God, everyone is a co-heir with Christ and everyone has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Everyone is equal before God and everyone stands an equal chance to fight the good fight and finish our own race to our own finish line. Make the most of it!