A few years ago, I remember seeing tears streaming down my wife’s face as she processed the horrifying reality of the situation: another black man had been killed by police. Maybe it was Eric Garner, or perhaps Michael Brown. I can’t recall because black men being killed in this way isn’t a unique event in America. It’s tragically commonplace.

As I looked into my wife’s eyes, she didn’t need to say anything. I could tell exactly what she was thinking: this could have been my husband. This could one day be my kids.

My wife isn’t black. She didn’t grow up in a particularly diverse community. Injustice in the manner she was seeing hadn’t been something that had ever directly affected her. But now, married to me — a black man — her mind was racing. Someone who doesn’t know her family, who doesn’t love them like she does, could snuff out their lives on a whim. And the perpetrators could be those who have sworn to serve and protect them.

At some point, I explained to her that this is why every black parent has had the conversation with their black sons. It happens at different times and in different ways, but it always happens. We’re instructed on how to interact with police officers if stopped, questioned, or detained. We’re told to be respectful, non-threatening, docile. We’re told not to raise our voices. We’re told not to raise our hands. We’re told not to raise the suspicion of the officers. In other words, we’re told how to increase our chances of coming home alive.

This conversation is necessary, yet is an unfortunate rite of passage for black boys who, unbeknownst to them, will soon be viewed as a threat to some. This conversation is borne out of a parent’s love to protect their child from the hatred of police brutality. To protect them from situations that they haven’t yet faced, but most certainly will experience. Parents would rather their child come home confused, ashamed, or defeated than in a box.

If you’re not black or a person of color, you need to know that living in America is different for me than it is for you. It always has been. There are things that I experience on a daily basis — solely because of the color of my skin — that many people will never encounter.

There are people in this country who have evaluated me as a danger to them. They’ve done so not because of anything that I’ve done, but because of their unfounded fear of what I may do. There are people in this country who have a hatred of me not because of anything that I’ve done, but simply because I exist. And the individuals who subscribe to these reprehensible views come from all walks of life, some of whom happen to be police officers.

Now, I want to be absolutely clear. I don’t have any animosity toward law enforcement. None. I have the utmost respect for any individual who serves others knowing that they willingly endanger themselves. But the fact remains that black men are killed by police with alarming frequency.

The death of George Floyd is, at the time of this writing, the most recent example. On May 25, 2020, he was arrested and detained on the ground by multiple officers, with one, Derek Chauvin, placing a knee on Floyd’s neck. Floyd cried out in desperation and pain until he no longer could. Bystanders watched in horror as he lost consciousness, and then his life. The nation is outraged. Protests, both peaceful and violent, are taking place all over the country. Civil unrest grows by the day. Many are asking themselves what they can do and how they can respond, especially those individuals who aren’t people of color.

How one addresses any situation is always informed by their worldview. I am a Christian. And as a Christian, I believe that the 66 books of the Bible are the very words of God. His thoughts can be known through the reading of it. Peace can be found from the meditation on it. Wisdom is exercised in the obeying of it. The Bible is to be the supreme authority for the believer in Jesus Christ, a guide for any and every situation (Psalm 119:105). This moment in which we find ourselves is no different.

How then would God, through his word, instruct the Christian and the church to address the events and circumstances surrounding George Floyd’s death? For certain, each believer will respond differently. However, the Bible provides tools and principles to guide how the Christian is to move forward, no matter the path chosen.

Pray for those involved.

The Bible tells us that we can boldly come to the throne of God in prayer and let our requests be made known unto him (Hebrews 4:16, Philippians 4:6). The situation we’re in is dire. Now is the time for boldness in our prayers. And there is so much to pray about.

Pray for the Floyd family and others who have been directly affected. Pray for the police officers who are charged with keeping the peace, even in hostile situations. Pray for our local and federal leaders to make wise decisions about how they manage this situation governmentally. And pray for Chauvin and the other police officers directly responsible for George Floyd’s death. Their actions may be deplorable, but they’re not unforgivable. God offers forgiveness, grace, and salvation through Jesus Christ to all.

Process these events from a place of empathy.

Anyone with a pulse knows at their core that what happened to George Floyd is wrong. Our hearts ache knowing that his death was unjust. But realize that for black and brown people, the ache is deeper. And it comes from knowing that our lives could one day be in the very same danger. It’s hard to articulate what these types of events do to a soul as the frustration and pain compound over a lifetime.

Although the Christian’s ultimate hope for the future is the return of Christ for his church, these events can still take their toll. For those who aren’t black and brown, simply validating that there’s a disparity in how people are treated can go a long way to provide comfort. Sometimes those who are hurting don’t need you to present a cure for what ails them, but simply to show compassion in the midst of their grief (Romans 12:15).

Proceed with helpful actions as you feel led.

For those who feel compelled to take action, there isn’t a singular path to take. Some may choose to do so politically. We are blessed to live in a country where its citizens have varied and continual opportunities to change the trajectory of the nation. Some may choose to do so through public demonstration. A peaceful protest can be a powerful symbol and an effective tool for change. Some may choose to do so through conversations and other forums for dialogue. Having open and honest discussions about the trauma of police brutality and how it affects everyone involved can help bring healing and understanding.

As Christians, God has given us liberty to live our lives in a variety of ways, so long as they do not violate our conscience (James 4:17), cause strife or division within the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10), or contradict Biblical commandments (John 14:15). Minister to those in need as you are convicted and burdened, but never violate the clear instruction from the word of God in the process.

Preach the gospel.

George Floyd was killed by police brutality, an excessive or illegal use of force against a civilian by an officer of the law. What was Chauvin’s motive? Why did he feel that kneeling on a handcuffed and subdued man’s airway was an acceptable way to detain him? It’s possible that Chauvin is a racist — that he, as a white man, felt he was superior to Floyd, a black man — and that from that twisted ideology, he murdered someone in cold blood. I don’t know what Chauvin was thinking as he committed this heinous act. But no matter the impetus for this killing, we must not forget the underlying problem of all killings like it: they are first and foremost issues of the heart.

The Bible tells us that the human heart is wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). When the first man and woman on earth willfully disobeyed the clear commandments of a loving God, sin entered into the human heart and a penalty of spiritual death, physical death, and separation from the presence of God was incurred (Genesis 2:15-17). This sin nature has been passed down from generation to generation, infecting every person since. Attitudes like racism are an outworking of the wicked hearts of men and women. And yet these are merely symptoms of the root cause of sin. But God — through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for humanity’s sin — has made a way for sinners to be made right with him.

The message of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sin is the ultimate solution for injustice, whether racial or otherwise. The preaching of that gospel message is the mission that the Church has been given (Matthew 28:18-20).

God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:24) and desires to be in a loving relationship with all of humanity (John 3:16). If God loves all peoples of the earth, when someone recognizes their need for salvation from sin and accepts the gospel by faith in Jesus Christ, by what logic can they justify the mistreatment or hatred of anyone?

A proper and sincere recognition of Christ’s sacrifice realigns our values in such a way that makes prejudiced views impossible. For the person who believes in the gospel, any individual they encounter falls into one of two categories: either brothers or sisters in Christ with whom they share a mutual faith, or those who are separated from God and to whom they are called to minister.

When a person accepts the gospel, they are made a new creature and their sin nature no longer defines them. This means that racist attitudes are addressed by the Holy Spirit because they are a result of our sin nature. Christ’s death for humanity is an indication of God’s love for people of all ethnicities. The only color the gospel is concerned with is red, the blood of Christ by which sinners are made righteous and empowered to live lives of holiness.

Solving issues of racism without placing the emphasis on the gospel, salvation of the soul, and the forgiveness of sin is impossible. What a shame it would be if in our zeal to seek freedom for those affected by racism and racial injustice, we left untouched the bonds of sin and death. Freedom without Christ is no freedom at all.