30th October 2021
This study has been specifically written to coincide with Black History Month and relates Sherwin’s personal experiences of being a black person in the UK and his hopes for the future.
Reflections on Black History Month
…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
As an Afro-Caribbean person living in the United Kingdom, what does black history month mean to me personally? I cannot speak for anyone else. We all have different experiences in life, depending on several factors including: country of birth; country where we choose to live or our parents have chosen; our family background and education; our friends and acquaintances, and our prejudices being some of them.
I was born in Trinidad, the larger of the two sister islands of Trinidad and Tobago. My parents were born in Barbados. Our family have lived in the United Kingdom since August 1960. A part of my ancestry, through my father, originally came from Africa as slaves to work in the sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean. My mother’s father was an Englishman, born in the United Kingdom. I also lived in Barbados, where we still have family members. That is my family background.
Having lived in beautiful, peaceful and prosperous areas of our troubled world, I have a lot to be thankful for. In all three countries, I have not experienced significant racial abuse or prejudice. But that is not the experience of everyone with my background. Hence the emphasis this month on black history. No one should be judged based on the colour of their skin or their country of birth. Whether we like it or not, believe it or not, we all have a common ancestry: ‘…God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ (Genesis 1:26-27).
So whether you are black, white, yellow, brown or mixed race, you are a product of God’s creation; we did not choose our heritage. Prejudice and hatred of other people based on the colour of their skin is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit, it comes from the evil one. Physical life is a gift from God, it means that we have the potential to become the very children of God, with eternal life: ‘…in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began…’ (Titus 1:2).
Personally speaking, I do not hold any grudges or resentment against anyone who is prejudiced against me because of the colour of my skin. The blessings that I have from God far outweigh any such prejudice or ill-treatment though I do sympathise with people who are the victims of racial abuse and prejudice. The good news is that this present broken world is ‘passing away’ and so too are the racial abuses and prejudices associated with it: ‘And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.’ (1 John 2:17).
Prayer
Father in heaven, please speed up the passing away of this present age in which we live today, with its racial abuses and prejudices. Hasten the return of Jesus Christ to the earth in person as the King of kings, the Lord of lords and the Prince of Peace to establish your kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study by Sherwin Scott
About the writer:
Sherwin Scott is a Deacon in the Lewes congregation of Grace Communion International.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck: lewes@gracecom.church
Like us on http://www.facebook.com/GCLewes
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church