As President Trump begins his time in office, I am sharing some practical and biblically-based ways in which he can help black America as well as some practical and biblically based ways black America can be of help to him.
So far, we have named the following ways President Trump can help black America:
1. President Trump Can Help Black America by Setting a Godly Example
2. President Trump Can Help Black America by Not Circumventing the Legitimate Leadership of the Black Community; Rather he Should Reach Out to Them Respectfully and Individually
3. President Trump Can Help Black America by Hiring a Trusted African-American to be One of his Senior Advisers Along with Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, and Jared Kushner
4. President Trump Should Take Some Time to Learn How to Communicate Well With Black People
We have also named the following ways black America can help President Trump:
1. Black Americans Can Help President Trump by Praying for him
2. Black Americans Can Help President Trump by being Open-minded and Giving him a Chance
3. Black Americans Can Help President Trump by Respecting the Office Even if They Can’t Respect the Man Occupying the Office
4. Black Americans Should Not Do to President Trump What Some Whites, Including Trump, Did to President Obama
Allow me to share with you another way President Trump can help black America and another way black America can help President Trump.
— Mr. Trump Needs to Cease Assuming that All Black People Live in “Hell”
Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
These words of Jesus are often quoted among both Christians and non-Christians. Some seem to think that this command constitutes a Christian’s acceptance of any lifestyle or belief system. But that is not what Jesus is saying here. Rather this command has to do with the spirit in which we judge, scrutinize, or criticize the behavior of others. We ought not to judge in a spirit of hypocrisy or arrogance as though we are glad to catch and expose someone else’s wrong, but in a spirit of love and compassion, one that is eager to help the guilty party see the error of their ways and correct their behavior. One commentary lists the following ways in which we judge others in the wrong spirit:
1. When we think the worst of others.
2. When we only speak to others of their faults.
3. When we judge an entire life only by its worst moments.
4. When we judge the hidden motives of others.
5. When we judge others without considering ourselves in their same circumstances.
6. When we judge others without being mindful that we ourselves will be judged.
Skye Jethani writes that Jesus is drawing a line between judgment (righteous discernment) and condemnation (declaring someone irretreviably sinful). He says, “Jesus is warning us about excluding anyone, or seeing ourselves or our group as inherently better than any other. He is calling us to not condemn people, to not pass final judgment and declare them irretrievably guilty. We may disagree and discern another person or group to be wrong — but when that discernment causes us to value another person or group less, then we’ve crossed the line into judgment, condemnation, and exclusion.”
This principle can be applied to the political climate present in America. Too often, one group condemns another group and refuses to work with them simply because they disagree on a certain issue. We all should refrain from this type of behavior in all walks of life.
The new president must not have a spirit of condemnation toward black people. He must not subscribe to stereotypes about black America. All black people do not live in the “hood” or in a “ghetto.” All black people are not living on food stamps and refusing to look for jobs. By the grace of God, my family and I have never been on food stamps in our lives. Now, food stamps are good for people who really, really, really need them. But as a Christian, I believe in the principle of praying for my daily bread and God has provided my daily bread all of these years.
Most black people are trying to live better. Some have the means to do so; others just need a little help. If President Trump wants to avoid continuously insulting black people and keeping the black community upset over his characterizations of us, he must cease making these assumptions.
— Now, here is the fifth thing black people can do to help the new president: Black Americans Can Help the Trump Presidency by Working Hard and Striving to be Successful
Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, “Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.”
There is nothing wrong with hard work and striving to be successful in whatever endeavour you set your mind and hands to. In fact, the Bible extols such behavior as long as one does not make such behavior the center of his life. God wants us to enjoy Him most of all, but also to enjoy the fruit of honest labor on this earth as well as the level of wealth and blessings that God chooses to give us from that labour.
Ray Stedman said, “When people discover the blessings of life that God has provided, they become richly involved with the savor of life right now. How good it is to know the living God, to know that He controls what comes into your life. He expects you to make choices; Scripture always encourages that. But rejoice in the wisdom of a Father’s heart and richly enjoy what is handed you day-by-day; that is the secret of life.”
Many today have an attitude of loathing toward those who are counted as super wealthy. Concerns about income inequality and global poverty are understandable, however, they do not negate the fact that many of those who are wealthy, like Trump, are wealthy because they worked hard and smart for a long time. Instead of getting upset at Mr. Trump for his wealth, black Americans should be inspired to work hard and make a better life for themselves and their families and to make the nation better. Hard work is always rewarded.
More importantly, we all should be ‘content with such things as we have.’ This does not mean that we cannot work for more, but that we should be happy with what God, in His infinite wisdom, has chosen to grant us at the time. Simultaneously, we should not begrudge others who God has blessed to be wealthy.
Trump has promised that one of his main goals will be to create jobs for all Americans. When those jobs come, we encourage black Americans to take advantage of them. Start looking for work now and let God lead you to the employment situation that He wants you to have.
If you are on food stamps or other government aid programs, don’t be content to stay there. There is a myth perpetrated among conservatives that all black people are lazy, want the government to take care of them, and always vote for Democrats because they promise “free stuff.” Don’t let this be true about you.
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