This week at New Jerusalem, while waiting for our brothers to arrive, I jokingly asked if "Colored People Time" (CPT) was a real thing. I did this for two reasons: firstly, because brothers rarely all show up right at the meeting time, and secondly
because I've heard people, mostly black people, joke about why they were running behind all my life. It's one thing to laugh off CPT, but it's another to set the expectation that black people are always late.
Andre Romain, a day-one member of our collective, pointed out the dangers of such a stereotype manifesting as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Jamarcus noted that everyone runs late sometimes and that tardiness has nothing to do with race.
The dangers of such a negative stereotype lead to lowered expectations, a lack of accountability, and a loss of credibility for black men regarding punctuality. Although Yahshua’s World comprises men of all races and nationalities serving the Lord, we are mostly black men. As a collective of mainly Black Men, we have a unique opportunity to rewrite the narrative around CPT.
Brother Hardy, one of our elders, highlighted that this narrative has been used for generations to bar black men from opportunities under the pretense that they are always late, disqualifying them from roles requiring punctuality.
As a conscious community, we must set a new standard and exemplify who Black men are and how we operate. Using Yahshua’s World as a platform to demonstrate black excellence, I strongly encourage every brother of the community to commit to showing up for all functions on time or early.
The future is ours; our pen of destiny is in our hands to define the type of men of God we will be. How we operate as a community and approach attendance and punctuality is one way to show the world what a multinational, multi-ethnic collection of brothers who love the Lord looks like. If you can’t attend a meeting, the best option is to let the brothers know you would like to be there but won’t make it. If you’re running late, let the brothers know so they aren’t waiting for you. And if you are late due to circumstances beyond your control, grace will always be available. We must start making the effort to set a better example if we are to be the leaders of the nations.
I pray that this blog motivates this brotherhood of ours to take time and punctuality seriously and respect each other's time more. As we work as a collective to build an economy capable of serving as a lifeline for our brothers in the months to come, let’s commit to being professional, high-functioning, and punctual. By doing so, we can write this negative stereotype out of existence and showcase the excellence and reliability of black men.
Comments