By Dana King

“Eyes to See, Ears to Hear: The Gospel of Being Woke”

“The gospel has always been a wake-up call. From the cries of the prophets to the voice in the wilderness, God has beckoned His people to open their eyes, soften their hearts, and tune their ears to heaven’s song of justice and mercy. Yet today, the word “woke” is met with suspicion—even scorn. But what if being woke simply means being awake to what God sees? To the groans of the oppressed, the wounds of the forgotten, the systems that crucify Christ all over again? This reflection invites the church to reclaim its prophetic edge, to walk as children of light, and to rediscover that holy vision where justice and righteousness flow like a mighty stream.”

BLB-Editor

Reclaiming What Was Sacred: The Misuse of “Woke”

There’s a word that once lived as a lifeline in Black communities. A sacred word. A whispered warning. A call to stay awake — not just to survive, but to discern. That word is woke. It was never meant to be a punchline.

Before it was weaponized by commentators and culture wars, woke meant alertness to injustice. It came from Black struggle — a way to say, “Be aware. Be wise. The world is not as it seems, and you need to keep your eyes open.” When people now use woke as an insult, they’re not just mocking an idea. They’re mocking a history. They’re mocking a spiritual and cultural tradition that has long depended on awareness to survive.

To call something woke with a sneer is not clever. It’s erasure.

The Sacred Roots of “Woke”

The idea of staying woke can be traced through Black history — in folk wisdom, protest music, and movements for civil rights. It meant being awake to injustice and alive to the need for truth-telling.

For people of faith, this should resonate. Scripture calls us repeatedly to awaken:

“Awake to a sense of your awful situation.” (Moroni 9:27)

“Awake, O Israel.” (2 Nephi 1:23)

“Awake thou that sleepest… and Christ shall give thee light.” (Ephesians 5:14) 

To be woke, spiritually speaking, is to be conscious of suffering and unwilling to ignore it.

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