Even though I did not grow up in a Christian home, I have shared half of it with one. From the day I met my wife’s family in Panama, I was introduced to the experience of New Testament Christians. One of the things that impact me the most is the effort that is made, not only at a congregational level, but in their homes, especially with the little ones in the house. The ladies’ dedication to preparing lessons that children can not only comprehend, but also like. The multitude of short songs that are taught to them, and the teaching inside those. It was during our stay in the United States that we get to know the famous VBS (Vacation Bible School). The emotion and joy in the children’s faces when they learned, sang, and participated in the activities that were done there was contagious. Within minutes, we were able to see their parents joining them and that shows the union in the Lord’s church.
One of those little hymns has always caught my eye, and it is the one that bears the same title as this article. The English of this song says, in case someone who is reading this does not know it,
“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”
From a young age, we teach them that, in the eyes of God, all colors are the same. What happens as they grow up? What do we do to change that perception? Dear friends and brethren who read this article, racism is not something we are born with, it is something we learn and instill. It is bad teaching. We are all valuable to God, and the entire humanity.
There is a lot of talking today about George Floyd’s horrendous death, but you know, he is not the first victim of a cruel case of racism. Many have died at the hands of a racist before, and many others have taken their own lives because of the influence of a racist. Sadly, Mr. Floyd may not be the last victim of this.
Is there a superior race? In the minds of some men, perhaps, but not in the divine design of God. Let us look at the book of Genesis, and read what it says in the first chapter, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female, white, created he them” (Genesis 1:27). Does it really say that? It is important to pay attention to our reading, because this is how many false teachings have been given. You can see this writer added a word in that passage. A small word that will greatly change the meaning of what was originally revealed by God.
God does not reveal to us what color Adam and Eve were, and you may wonder why? The simplest answer I can give you is, God does not care if you are red, yellow, black, white, green, blue, purple, and fill the blank with any color in the palette, ALL OF US (without exception) are precious to His sight. The quoted biblical passage certainly says “in the image of God created He him”. In the second chapter, He affirms to us that this corruptible body in which we live, this flesh, bones, and blood, were made of the dust of the ground. Dust is an inert material. There is no life in it. Let us think about ourselves as pieces of porcelain. Have you studied Plastic Arts? I remember in my high school we had a pottery workshop, and in that class, we were taught how to work with clay. We made some figures, and I publicly admit that I am not talented with my hands. But once the figure was finished and cooked, everyone painted the same the way they liked it.
God, to the prophet Jeremiah, revealed the following,
“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel”
Jeremiah 18:6.
The Apostle Paul, to the Romans, wrote,
“… O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”
Romans 9:20-21.
None of these ceramic figures, once finished, come to life. None of us is God to breathe into the nostrils of these figures and give them the “breath of life” and make them living beings (Genesis 2:7).
The new generations may not have experienced it, but, do you know what a monochrome monitor is? They were commonly known as a green screen. If you love video games or videos in general, like this writer, would you find it attractive to see everything in just one color? Well, just as the logic of your brain affirms that everything is more beautiful in colors, God’s wisdom also shows us this way. Does my skin color matter? No, what matters is that God made me this way and I must give glory to Him. We can, without exception, obey God, serve Him, and make this world a better place. The decision is made by each of us, whether we are red or yellow, black or white, we ALL are precious in His sight. That is what matters to me, and I hope, it matters to you.
Dear friends and brethren, may the color of your skin not prevent you from giving your best to God. I conclude by quoting the first stanza of a hymn that adults sing during worship, and it says,
Have Thine own way Lord, Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay!
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
May God bless you today and always, and let us seek for that unity that He expects from all of us.