WE ALL MAKEUP HUMANITY. WE ARE ONE. Paul stood on Mars’ hill and declared to the philosophers of his day the unknown God. One expression used by the inspired apostle rings so loudly in my heart today, which is that God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth.” Yet, we do not all look alike. We do not think alike. We do not speak alike. We do not dress alike. We come from various backgrounds. We are diverse. We have different opinions. However, from one came all. The blood which courses through our veins is the same. The various types of blood flow through humanity, regardless of ethnic or cultural background or the color of one’s skin.
Type A+ may flow through the veins of a red, yellow, black, or white man’s body. We all makeup humanity. It was Malachi who said, “Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, By profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (Mal. 2:10). So, regardless of our skin, God is our father. Therefore, since we are all a part of humanity, we should strive to get along with each other.
Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This dream has not been fulfilled. Jesus said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24.)
WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26-29.)
A. Spiritually speaking, there is no distinction between races insofar as salvation is concerned. We are all one in Christ Jesus.
B. So, those in Christ are all a part of God’s family. Jesus loves the little children of the world – red and yellow, black and white, and they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world.
C. The soul of the African American is just as valuable in God’s sight as the soul of the Caucasian. Jesus said, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26.)
D. There is a song entitled: “What Color Is God’s Skin?” Of course, God is spirit, and a spirit has not flesh and bones (John 4:24; Luke 24:39)
WHAT CAN I DO? Many years ago, Becky Burris wrote a little tract called “A Better World Begins with Me.” How true! Though laws may be enacted to make society a better place in which to live, it is hearts that need to change. Our mindset needs to change. It begins with me, not another. The point is if I want a better world, I must do what I can. Edward Everett Hale said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” So, what can I do?
1. Pray for others.
2. Treat others the way I want to be treated (Matt. 7:12). Make it an invariable rule to treat all men with perfect civility no matter what garb they may wear nor burden they may bear.
3. If racist comments are made in your presence, speak out against such.
4. Stop shouting; learn to listen.
5. Be careful about your words: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matt. 12:34-37.)