The tragic death of George Floyd has brought the heartbreaking problem of racism to the forefront of people’s minds worldwide. After the protests, we need to find ways to reach a lasting solution and achieve racial justice. I believe cultivating conversations that inspire us to experience wonder together can help us reach that goal.
I've recently shared such conversations with people in my diverse church congregation and with work colleagues at George Mason University, one of the most diverse universities in the United States. Those conversations helped us process our pain and learn from each other. A vital part of those conversations was sharing our personal stories and listening to those stories. Awe broke through to us as we opened our minds and hearts to each other.
As I describe in my book Wake Up to Wonder, whenever we enlarge our perspectives, we can discover and enjoy wonder, which then inspires us to keep learning and growing. Every conversation we engage in with the goal of learning from each other is an opportunity to experience awe – and healing – together.
In heaven, we'll experience unity in our diversity. Revelation 7:9 describes "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language" in God's presence together. From God’s perspective, we’re one human family of diverse and equally valuable souls. Experiencing transcendent moments of awe in conversations with each other reminds us of that important truth.
I encourage you to intentionally reach out to others to talk about racism. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and feelings honestly, and to listen compassionately. In the process, your conversations can lead you to experience the wonder of God's presence with you all together.