Racism affects childrens beliefs about themselves, and the effects of systemic racism are not only confined to secular society. Jesus is often portrayed as being white, and many black children grow up wondering about why they look different and what this means in terms of their worth and salvation. This doubt can have a profound influence on their faith, yet nowhere in the Bible is this portrayal of Jesus accurate.
In The Water FountainJesus Within, author and clinical psychologist Dr. Lawrence E. Henry explores these and other important questions about faith, the Bible, and the effects of systemic generational racism on black children in America. Sharing his own story about growing up in segregated America and learning about racism firsthand, Dr. Henry hopes to send a hopeful message to children in poverty and to those who are undergoing racial discrimination, also offering them a way to understand the truth about themselves and their relationship with God. He also focuses on the amazing growth of Christianity in Ethiopia, which can inspire black children to recognize how vital they are to the building of Gods kingdom.
God is inside each and every one of us, and regardless of where we are from and what we look like, we belong and we are beautiful in the eyes of God. Overcoming systemic racism and discrimination wont be painless, but you will get through it. Dont despair. God will provide understanding, and he will work within your life for good.
