African Americans have often felt pressured, not only from their own communities to meet the culture’s expectations of what it means to be Black, but to refute the wider culture’s often negative stereotypes of African Americans, while wrestling with their own unique callings and identities. African Americans are not monolithic. There are various political, social, economic, and religious views that exist among Blacks.

While there is this sense of responsibility to represent our culture positively and accurately, what helps us not to be confined to both color and cultural expectations is being followers of Jesus Christ.

It is being led by both the Spirit and the Scriptures that help us to transcend social expectations, which will often put us at odds within our own culture and the culture at large.”

It is being led by both the Spirit and the Scriptures that help us to transcend social expectations (Ro. 12:1-2), which will often put us at odds within our own culture and the culture at large. There is a song by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, “Order my Steps.” It says, “The world is ever changing, but You are still the same. If You order my steps, I’ll praise your name.” We honor God, not by meeting cultural expectations, but by submitting to the Spirit and ordering our steps in His word (Ps. 119:105).

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