How The Bible Helps Me Overcome Racial Fears and Prejudices In My Own Life

My Story
I grew up in rural Missouri with almost little personal contact with people outside of my own race.  My uncle fought the Japanese in World War 2 and between that family history and things I saw in the media I developed a fear of and prejudice against Japanese people.  Now, I have been happily married to my Japanese wife (Kayo) since 2004, we have one beloved son.  We deal with racial and cultural differences every day, but we are able to overcome them because we both allow the Bible to guide our thoughts actions and words.  We also have historical tensions between our people groups.  For example, Kayo's grandmother was burned and nearly was killed as a young girl by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.  Also, two of her grandmother's brothers were kamikaze pilots in WW2.  Still, by living Biblical principles in our daily lives, we have been able to find peace with each other and even between our relatives in the USA and Japan, both Christian and non-Christian.  God has blessed us in many other ways as well. 

The Bible has also helped me to overcome my fear of and prejudices against many other people groups and has allowed me to develop really blessed relationships with so many wonderful people from so many national, ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds.  I could go on and on with testimonies but it is more important to point people to the Bible rather than my own opinions and feelings on the subject because God is our Creator and the Bible is His instruction book for our lives. 

Acts 17:26-27
And He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

​Ephesians 2:14
For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.

1 John 4:18
Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love drives out fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made perfect in the person who fears.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Mark 12:31
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Ezekiel 18:20
The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

There are many other passages in the Bible that I could list but these are the first ones to come to mind. During these troubled times, I am only able to keep myself peaceful by focusing on the Word of God.  I hope that these verses get you started in developing a Biblical perspective on overcoming your own racial fears and prejudices.    Satan (an angel of light 2 Corinthians 11:14) and the world are offering many solutions to racial fear and prejudice that appear to be right but in the end they only lead to death and destruction.  The Biblical path to racial reconciliation does not pass through revenge but repentance. 

Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?