My mother loved to debate – particularly with her brothers and sister (The Floyds – as they were affectionately known around our home). She loved to get in discussions on tough subjects with her three boys, her best friends, or students. She saw these discussions (sometimes seemed like arguments) were great teaching tools. She would often argue a point she didn’t really believe. She wanted her students and particularly her sons “to think”. “Don’t settle for the pat answers or buy into a system of thinking – think for yourself” she would say. She pushed us to think and argue beyond the simplistic. I don’t know how well I learned her lessons but I am immensely thankful for the attempts.
I was reminded of her instructions this evening as I was reading a great article by Thabiti Anyabwile about the challenges to the inner city and in particular the African American family.
It seems impossible that I would ever be able, as a white man, to empathize and think in such thoughtful and helpful ways as Thabiti does but I am asking the Lord to do that miracle of grace in my life as I seek to pastor and love all the people God has given us to love.
Take some time to read this article and then pray that the Lord would help us to “think deeply” – which was not only my mom’s advice but the Apostle Paul’s to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:7 “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2013/07/26/dont-be-talkin-about-my-mama-the-black-family-in-conservative-discourse/