“There are many conversations about ethnicity in the church today. I see a lot of anger. I see a lot of sarcasm. I see a lot of unforgiveness and mockery. What I don’t see is a lot of humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love.”
-Shai Linne

Humility

Humility is seeing ourselves rightly before God. In the ethnicity discussion, it means actually listening to those who disagree with us, instead of just waiting to talk so we can get our points in. Humility asks, “Is there anything I can learn from this brother or sister?”

Humility is being willing to admit that what we learned growing up (even in church) was actually wrong. Humility is a willingness to freely acknowledge the wrongs of those who belong to our ethnic group. Humility is an openness to correction when we miss the mark. We would go a long way in the pursuit of ethnic unity if we walked in humility toward each other.

Gentleness

Gentleness is related to the word often translated “meekness,” which is strength under control. It is the disposition of a heart submitted to God. In the ethnicity discussion, it means refusing to lash out in anger toward believers who don’t share our perspective.

Gentleness governs how we speak, knowing that “a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). Gentleness is restrained, rather than explosive. Gentleness resists the temptation to vent, but instead chooses to ask, “Can we pray?” Gentleness is unwilling to sacrifice a relationship for the sake of winning an argument. We would go a long way in the pursuit of ethnic unity if we walked in gentleness toward each other.

Patience

The word translated “patience” means “to be long-tempered” as opposed to short-tempered. This is why it’s translated in the King James Version as “longsuffering.” It implies slowness to anger, even in the face of opposition. In the ethnicity discussion, it means not being easily offended by brothers or sisters who speak out of ignorance on the subject.

Patience understands that it takes time for people to grow and is therefore willing to endure the dusty seed in hopes of one day seeing the flower in full bloom. Patience will sit for hours to discuss and work through an issue, even if it doesn’t change the other person’s beliefs, because patience is content with greater understanding being achieved by two siblings in Christ.

Patience resists the urge to be outraged by every misstep or error other Christians make when dealing with ethnicity. We would go a long way in the pursuit of ethnic unity if we walked in patience with each other.

Bearing with One Another in Love

Bearing with one another in love means avoiding resentment and bitterness toward our brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we disagree. It’s resisting the impulse to retaliate or punish those who have hurt us. In the ethnicity discussion, it means moving toward—rather than away from—fellow church members who just don’t seem to get it on ethnicity.

What if the Church…

Imagine what our churches would be like if pastors modeled humility and gentleness when discussing ethnicity. How much progress would be made toward unity if congregations were patient with their pastors in this area?

What if Christian personalities were known more for their gentleness than their sarcasm? How much ground would be gained in foreign missions if missionary agencies and missionaries on the front lines were characterized by humility toward the cultures of the ethnic groups they’re trying to reach with the gospel?

What if churches refused to split over nonessential differences because they were committed to bearing with one another in love? Imagine if seminary staff, professors, and presidents took a posture of humility regarding the ethnic sins of founders, treating the students who struggle with that with the utmost gentleness and patience?

What would this world be like if these things were so?