What Color Are You?
Acts 10:34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right”.
I was hearing a man talking the other day about how he felt that ”His People” were being ignored or not catered to by a certain organization. He was very adamant about it and didn’t mind who heard him. He was to the point of being very offensive to those around. I said to myself, ”Friend, you have a problem!”
Having grown up in a part of the country where racism and prejudice was rampant I can tell you that I know exactly what it sounds like and he was definitely wrapped up in it! When I was young, color was a great dividing line between people of all ages. When I became a Christian however all that left my heart and now I see people like Jesus sees them. The only color I see these days is ”Christian Color”! When I hear someone like the man I was talking about spew his venom of racism and bitterness out for all to hear, it makes me sad. You see, the man was a Pastor and a professing Christian.
Many years ago I was pastor of a thriving smaller church in my home state. The church was really growing and things were looking good for us. However in the midst of our church there were several older men who were still very racially biased. One was a retired pastor who was a friend of mine and attended our church. Now I am not picking on Pastors here. I have been one for most of my adult life and I love and respect God’s men. On one particular Wednesday evening we were all assembling in the church for mid-week service. About that time the retired Pastor and one of the deacons, jumped up and ran outside. I could not figure out what the emergency was!
About that time, they casually walked back in and were talking to each other laughing about what had just happened. It was time to start so I had to wait until after the service to find out what had taken place. Afterwards I asked what the ”emergency” was and they told me that they had thought that a man of another ”Color” was trying to come to the church and they were going to stop him! I was furious, but before I could even say anything they finished and said to me, ”Everything is OK, it was only a delivery man asking for directions”! I let it lie for then, but knew what I had to do.
You can imagine what the topic of the next Sunday’s sermon was! I have to tell you that I did a lot of praying about that message. I believe that God broke some chains that Sunday! That was many, many years ago, but I still see too much of this kind of thing. The saddest thing about it is that it is right in the middle of the church! The Pastor I heard the other day was just another sad example.
”The ground is level at the foot of the cross”, is a saying I used to hear Pastors say when I was first saved. I believe it and teach it myself. God does not think more of one race or people than He does another. God does not think more of one color than He does another. God loves all people the same. If we are to be right with God we must do the same. There are bad people who ”claim” Christianity in all races. It is those people who are professing it, but not living it, that are becoming a blight on the land. Racism should have died many years ago, but sadly I see it increasing all too much. People are teaching entirely new generations to hate and to discriminate. The really sad thing about it is that many of the people who used to be the targets of discrimination are now the ones who are doing it!
I ask the question dear friend, when you look at someone who is of a different race or skin color than you, what do you see? If you see anything other than just another person that Jesus loves, then you need to do some inspection of your relationship with the Lord and make a few changes that I feel may be needed. If someone asks people what color you are, then the answer should be, ”They are Christian”. In case you are wondering what color that is, the answer is easy, ”Blood color”. If you are washed in the blood of Jesus you are His color!
What Color Are You?
Blessings!
Bro. Tommy
