Before diving into the toxic waters of the title’s question, let’s wade a bit with a preliminary inquiry: Should Christians march? The peaceful corporate protest known as marching aims to ‘demonstrate’ the quantity and quality of an idea’s adherents with the hope of broadening its acceptance. Each individual contributes their body to the quantity and their reputation to the quality of the spectacle. Qualitative contributions are generally deemed more valuable as has been illustrated by the frequent use of celebrities. However, celebrity participation has also illustrated that these qualitative contributions are often transactional – that is, the idea often makes repayment by contributing its reputation to the donor. As a result of this, many celebrities have become inextricably associated with the cause(s) they have promoted. They have become “labeled”.
For Christians, the risk of this transaction is perhaps the biggest concern. The nobility of the cause may deeply stir the heart to radical action. However, is it wise to risk impeding our mission by being labeled an abolitionist, or a suffragette, or anti-war, or pro-black, or pro-law enforcement? Many Christians have concluded that the costs of being labeled are never worth the benefits of radically promoting change.
Jesus demonstrated a more nuanced conclusion. During the century of Jesus’ birth, 6,000 rebel slaves were lynched to firmly establish the subjugation of slaves in Roman society. Yet Jesus, who formed all humans in His image, never once contributed His reputation to improve the lives of this oppressed class. He apparently concluded that the cost – likely martyrdom – of being labeled a slave-rights advocate was not worth the benefits – likely none – of radically promoting change in this area. This label would have impeded His mission.
However, this same Jesus consistently contributed His reputation to improve the lives of another oppressed social class – “tax collectors and sinners” (Mt. 9:10-11; 11:19; Lu. 15:1-2). Jesus’ frequent eating with these outcasts was as bold a social protest as a white person using a colored bathroom in the 1950s. And for this He earned the label: “Friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Mt. 11:19). But far from impeding His mission, this label impelled His mission, which was “not … to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mt. 9:13).
Jesus was not blindly concerned with being labeled. His concern was the label’s impact on His life’s mission. This answers our wading question. Despite the risk of being labeled, marching, and other forms of peaceful protest, are not inherently objectionable to the Christian. The Christian’s concern is not with being labeled but with the nature of the label.
So, are the ideas promoted by the black and/or blue lives movements acceptable labels for a Christian? This question is complicated by the ambiguity surrounding the ideas these movements promote. Superficially, both mottos are undeniably true: Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter. However, there is wide variance in public opinion as to what else these statements imply. Among the advocates of both movements there are many who believe these statements to be competitive – that black and blue lives cannot be equally valuable. However, both are infinitely valuable to Jesus. As such, the obligation of His followers in this environment is twofold. We must unequivocally affirm the value of both, but we must also unequivocally condemn any individual, group, or society that directly or indirectly diminishes the value of either. ‘Friend of black and blue lives’ is a necessary label for the follower of Jesus.
Earning this label cannot come by theoretical acknowledgements. When doing so would not impede His mission, Jesus, as the prophets before Him, boldly declared by word and action truth that could improve and even save lives. Like Him, we must each prayerfully weigh the costs and benefits of our action or inaction on these issues. As a young black male my inaction may allow others to conclude that I value black lives over blue lives. What about you? Whether it be by marching, or by posting, or by tweeting, or by speaking, or by all of the above, we must each follow Jesus’ example of wisely, yet actively, affirming and defending the infinite value of all lives.