Christian mom gives awkward — but sincere — advice for when your daughter brings home a black man

Americans generally don't like to talk about racial relations -- and with good reason.

Having open discussions about racial biases is incredibly uncomfortable and often involves acknowledging your own prejudices. That's why it's interesting to read Christian mother Gaye Clark's awkward -- but nonetheless very heartfelt and genuine -- advice to Christian parents who would feel uncomfortable if their child decided to marry someone of a different race or ethnic background.

Writing over at The Gospel Coalition, explains how she felt when her own daughter brought home a black man who would eventually become her husband.

"All ethnicities are made in the image of God, have one ancestor, and can trace their roots to the same parents, Adam and Eve," she explains. "As you pray for your daughter to choose well, pray for your eyes to see clearly, too. Glenn moved from being a black man to beloved son when I saw his true identity as an image bearer of God, a brother in Christ, and a fellow heir to God’s promises."

Now, there's clearly some uncomfortable subtext here -- after all, should it really take learning that this man was a Christian for you to see him as something more than "a black man?"

All the same, recognizing prejudice is the first step to overcoming it, which is what Clark is doing here.

Later, she recounts how she countered a woman in her church who was visibly uncomfortable by the thought of interracial marriage:

One woman in church looked over at Anna and Glenn and gingerly asked, “Are they . . . dating?”

“Engaged!” I grinned and winked at them.

She gave a pained smile, and then sighed and shook her head. “It’s just . . . their future children. They have no idea what’s ahead of them!”

I nodded. “When Jim and I were married, we had no idea what was ahead of us either. I stopped believing the lie we could control our trials years ago.”

The whole post is worth reading and can be found here.