DIFFERENT COLOR SKIN, SAME COLOR BLOOD

I just read Russell Moore's post about racial reconciliation where he says "Tragically much of our nation’s history is stained with the ugliness of racial discrimination and prejudice and, even more distressing, there was a day when many condoned these attitudes from church pulpits, twisting Scripture to justify their bigoted behavior and thought, rationalizing it was perfectly all right to own and/or abuse another human being.

Yet racist thought and behavior denies the reality that each of us are created in the image of God. It empties Scripture of its power in our lives when we accept some of its teachings and reject other biblical instruction because it conflicts with our idea of what is right and what is wrong. And as much as we want to believe otherwise, racism has not been erased from society. It sin–pure and simple.

While we have made progress in our country in this area, we have not yet arrived." [See more at: http://erlc.com/race#sthash.bYCfCoGP.dpuf]

I would encourage you to visit http://erlc.com/race and watch the short video of Russell Moore of the The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission describe why we need racial reconciliation in America.

This is one area of concern that I have felt very strongly about from the time I was in elementary school. It has always bothered me that so many people want to focus on a person's skin color instead his character. Skin color does not define who you are. Your character defines who you are. Just because your skin is a certain color, that doesn't mean that you are a "good" person or a "bad" person.

Some of the kids I got to meet in Alabama when we took a van full of clothes down after a tornado had wiped out so many homes.

Revelation 5:9 (ESV)  And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” [underlining added]

Every tribe, every nation, every dialect, every skin color. 

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)  But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” [underlining added]

I really enjoyed getting to talk with Thabiti Anyabwile at the 9Marks conference last year. Such a passion for Jesus Christ.

"For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Skin color is not a valid reason to lift one person up and knock another person down. We should seek to see people the way that God sees them... what does their hearts reveal? Not how light or how dark their flesh is. To catch people off guard, I used to say, "I used to be prejudiced but now I like white people!".

One of the Filipino pastors I got to worship with 

Everybody likes to take pictures, right? This group in China liked the idea.

If you are prejudiced in any way, please pray about it and ask God to remove that sin from your life.  Let me say it one more time... Skin color does not define who you are. Your character defines who you are. We may have different-colored skin, the same color blood. Amen?