Thanks for the many prayers regarding my father. As it turns out the doctors were wrong. Dad had a cyst on his liver; it was not cancerous. They drained it last night. He has an infection that caused it. They don’t know where it is coming from or what kind, but it should not be life threatening and the doctors are cautiously optimistic. I’m going to try and put him in a nursing home when he gets out of the hospital and builds up his strength; the hope is that he can move to an assisted living community and retain some independence…
Last Friday night after the seminar I gave my testimony at Honey Lake Church. An African American pastor friend of mine brought his praise team over to sing some songs that stirred everyone’s souls. Before they were done, they literally had everyone on their feet praising God. I could feel the Holy Spirit’s presence and a good time was had by all, (including God).
After the service I was thanking my friend for bringing all of the equipment and for his church group performing the songs. He loves the Lord every bit as much as me and he grabbed my hand and put it next to his and told me to look at it. Mine was lily white and his was jet black. He laughed and said, “You know what the difference between you and me is?
I said, “What’s that?”
He replied with a wide smile exposing sparkling white teeth against the ebony backdrop of his grinning face, “I stayed out in the sun a little longer than you did”.
He then laughed like a hyena. He’s right in that we are brothers in Christ and the color tone of his or my skin doesn’t make a whit’s difference to God or to us.
Hmmm… I suppose most people of all colors and nationalities have been guilty of racism at some point in their lives. I know I regret some things I’ve said and done in my life in that regard. In fact if the truth were to be told, most everyone has been guilty of it at one point or other in their lives.
Slavery is not the reason for racism. When we think about it slavery was not born in the United States, in fact it existed in Africa long before slaves were brought to this country. It also existed in other countries dating back to ancient biblical times, and still exists in remote parts of several countries even today. Native American Indians made slaves of other Indian nations as have a myriad of civilizations such as the Egyptians, Romans, and others throughout time.
Racism and slavery are a condition of a dark heart and are evil and straight out of hell. To deny it, is to refute the Bible’s command to love one another. The Bible does not add the caveat, “Love one another -Provided they are of the same coloration as you”; it simply commands us to love one another.
Racism is not restricted to whites against people of color; it is just as prevalent going the other direction. Racism is a condition of the heart and mind.
It is sin – it is sin- it is sin!
God created all colors and loves them all. He wants us to do likewise.
With my father’s health problems I’ve been thinking of heaven lately and I wondered if we will retain our color when we arrive. Will we be white, yellow, brown or black? Or maybe a lovely maroon or nice shade of soothing green? How about candy striped? I think candy stripers would be dumb…Just kidding….
Yikes I hope we aren’t pink!
Who cares what color we end up…Whatever color or colors God decides upon, we should start practicing now to enjoy each other. I have found that there are good and bad people of all colors. It’s not skin color that makes people evil, it’s the condition of their relationship to Christ. If it’s non-existent, then problems will exist regardless.
One of the primary reasons I loved Jesus when I read the Bible so many years ago was because He did not look down on me. He was full of love and compassion and was not condescending in any manner. When people looked at my ragged clothes, long hair and rough appearance they openly sneered at me. I sneered right back, and in fact wanted to beat them up or even put a bullet in their brain. I imagine that’s how many people of all races feel when people look down on them. How welcome it makes us feel when greeted with a warm friendly smile. Treat everyone as you would like to be treated. God designed us to be that way.
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!
Matt. 22:38
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.