This word has become a stigma in our society especially if you add white in front of it.

A few years ago, I was processing why it would be triggering to some to be called privileged or to ask to acknowledge their privilege and I began to think of my own.

Privilege defined is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.

I grew up with the privilege of a two parent home, two parents who graduated college, I have never once had to worry if I was going to eat in a day, I have never once had to think about where to access clean water. I have always been able to walk, see, hear….These are things I have not earned or have done anything more the next person to get. And acknowledging these advantages allows me to also acknowledge those who don’t have this. I don’t feel guilty, rather I feel grateful. And I think that is what privilege should do it should bring about gratitude, compassion and empathy not pride, guilt and shame.

And I also want to say that as a black woman living in America I don’t have a lot of privileges that others and while I am open to having this conversation about the acknowledgement of privilege, I don’t want to shame someone else just because of that.

I think of the girl who was born with a beautiful face and is tall and thin and some agent finds her in a mall at 16 and signs her into a multi million dollar modeling contract. She has literally done nothing but be beautiful and now her life is private planes, traveling to Milan and Paris. Meanwhile, the rest of us have to work 9-5s just to pay the bills. And can only hope to travel around the world.

What good does it do me to sit and be resentful of this person?

So now that we acknowledged our privilege what do we do with it? Like I said I hope that acknowledgement would drive your gratitude. I can be grateful for what I have been given freely. It can drive us to compassion led action which can be advocacy if that’s your style or volunteering at a food bank or a crisis center if that’s your style or sharing what you have with those who don’t. It’s whatever that action looks like for you. And empathy!! Having the openness to listen to someone with a different experience and give them the space to be who they fully are with you.

Anyways, a lot of you can find the sermon in here. But I just want to remind me and you as Christians we have the privilege of salvation. We have literally done nothing to deserve it. Why are we still wallowing in guilt and shame?