The Third Option by Miles McPherson
“Culture plays a big role in perpetuating racism by wrongly insisting that there are only two options you can choose from: us or them.”
Miles McPherson released The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation on September 11th, 2018, nearly 16 months before George Floyd was killed on May 25th, 2020.
Us or Them. Black or White. Protestor or Police. Democrat or Republican. Us or Them.
These appear to be the only two options presented in the media. But Miles suggests looking at a third.
It is week 23 of 52 in the Tim Challies 2020 reading challenge, and I chose to read Miles' book The Third Option.
A friend gave me this book at a bible study last week when in the providence of God, we were studying John 4 and the Samaritan woman at the well.
Mile McPherson is "the proud offspring of two Black grandfathers, a half-Chinese and half-Black grandmother, and a White grandmother." While he is of mixed race, he identifies himself as Black (p. xi). He is the Senior Pastor at The Rock Church in San Diego, CA. As a former NFL Charger, he has not only developed an energetic gospel culture at The Rock, but also a diverse culture. He calls the church a "skittles" church. Meaning, it is as diverse as a pack of skittles.
Miles preaches regularly about racial unity and strives to put it into practice at The Rock. Culture wants to put us into two camps, us and them. But Miles argues instead for a third, honor.
"The Third Option invites us to honor that which we have in common, the presence of [God's] image in every person we meet… The Third Option empowers us to see people through God's eyes, which enables us to treat them in a manner that honors the potential of His image in us" (p. xv).
Miles addresses the problem straight on with a simple question in his intro.
"Are you a racist?"
The natural reaction to that question is defensiveness. The majority of people will want to immediately say no. To this Miles responds, "the Third Option frees us from culture's false dichotomy by offering us the grace we need to admit that we are imperfect in our love for others… The Third Option acknowledges that my biases will do and say racists things, but I can learn to live more honorably" (p. xvii).
The Third Option is a primer for understanding racial tension within a Christian worldview. What follows are several points that I found particularly insightful and challenging.
Racism – The Problem
"The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) defines racism as "the belief that a particular ethnicity is superior or inferior to another, and that a person's social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics" (p. 15).
Miles challenges his readers by considering an inverse definition. What if racism was defined by what you didn't do, feel, or believe about another person?
He concludes, "racism can be as much of a sin of omission—not doing what we are called to do—as commission" (p. 15).
According to Miles, this type of racism is revealed in three ways: institutionalized, Personally Mediated, and Internalized Racism. Each has its specific nuance that boils down to in and out-groups.
Miles identifies that we all have our "in-groups", which is predominately how we define ourselves. The "out-group" are those who don't fit into our neatly defined box.
So what is the solution?
One Group.
"Honor assigns value to someone, regardless of who they are, what they look like, or what they have done" (p. 25).
But it is complicated. Our world is fractured. Is change possible for the whole world? Maybe not, but it certainly is for you.
Miles explains honestly, "I need to look at my heart first. As simple as it sounds, if everyone took a good look at themselves, positive change would start happening" (p. 29).
An audience of One – The Honor Shift
"What are you holding on to more tightly than Jesus' perception and purpose for your life?" (p. 47).
Miles discusses how this isn't an ethnic problem but a heart problem. For us to shift from an "us or them" mentality, we have to recognize our sinful heart and surrender to Jesus' lordship of our life.
At the end of the book, Miles addresses the ABC's of accepting Christ. It is Admitting that you need help, Believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and Confess what you believe (p. 245).'
Once our hearts our Jesus' we start to care more about what he thinks of ourselves and others rather than what we think. And Miles argues the lesson he teaches us is to honor.
The Bandwagon Effect
"The "bandwagon effect" is the tendency for people to believe and do things because other people believe and do those things" (p. 104).
Miles says there is an alternative to jumping on the bandwagon of hatred. Apologize or forgive.
"By taking a step toward apologizing or forgiving someone, you could singlehandedly establish a new bandwagon effect rooted in love and honor" (p. 105).
The bandwagon is fueled by people who are motivated by fear and hatred rather than truth and love. Miles gives several compelling real-life examples and walks his readers through how unforgiveness turns into resentment, anger, and a critical negative mindset.
When those who have committed wrong, or been wronged, apologize and forgive, they extinguish the fire of hate.
Fear is Dishonor
"If we let fear control us, we're dishonoring ourselves and our ability to honor others. But if we channel our fear into honor, we'll make progress, personally and with others" (p. 127).
Fear is a powerful motivator that if it goes unchecked or uninformed, it can rule us. Fear produces emotions and feelings in each of us that are different based upon context. Whether we respond with "fight or flight" depends significantly on our experiences and how we conceptualize fear.
When you are faced with a fear situation, do you tend to face that fear or run from it?
Everyone is afraid to some degree of being the "other", meaning, not a part of the majority. It is disorientating to be different.
Miles says face fear but in a specific unique way.
FEAR is: Facing the Facts, getting Educated about the "other", being Accountable to affirm one another, and building Relationships, recognizing the image of God in everyone.
Walking through this FEAR acronym helps expose blind spots. Simply educating oneself on other people groups, ethnicities, and cultures broaden our world and can expose presuppositions that may be false or misinformed. Affirming differences in each other is a tangible form of honor and respect. And to proceed beyond affirmation into a relationship is living kingdom life now.
Kingdom Living Now
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" – Rev 7:9
I find it interesting that John can discern and spot the differences in the people he sees in heaven. Even though they are all wearing white robes, he can recognize that these people have different appearances, cultural tribes, and even languages all while in heaven before the throne of God.
This can only mean that we retain some aspect of our person and culture. Therefore, there must be something inherent to the unique differences in our persons, cultures, and languages that is beautiful and glorifying to God to retain aspects of them in heaven.
If that is to be our eternal state, and God deems these differences as worthy to keep in heaven, we would be remiss not to celebrate, embrace, and seek diversity in our daily interpersonal lives.
Miles' book is simple. Recognize that racism is a real problem, pray that God would expose and change your heart, reject us versus them, and embrace the third option of honoring others and their differences that God made and welcomes.
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John Owen came from Welsh descent, was educated at Queens College, and became a renowned Puritan theologian, Oxford professor, and passionate pastor who lived from 1616 to 1683. In 1647, he wrote the exhaustive treatise The Death of Death defending Limited or Definite Atonement against the Arminian view of Universal Atonement or Unlimited Atonement.