Red and yellow, black and white

All are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world

                        Clare Herbert Woolston

When will we ever be able to get on with getting along? Since when has it been so hard to put up with each other’s differences? Who ever said being alike was a virtue? The virtue is getting along when we’re different. The virtue is seeing all people as equals. The virtue is recognizing — even worshiping — the image of God in everyone. Do you have two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth, walk on two feet and speak a known language somewhere on the planet? And if you don’t have one or more  of these things, what tragedy has happened to you that we all can have compassion for and marvel at your ability to overcome?

If it were made common knowledge that Jesus was a brown-skinned, Middle Eastern Jew, how many white people would follow Him? Why are most of our representations of Jesus in art and film as a white Anglo-Saxon?

Let’s face it, being the same is boring and way overrated. Actually, there is greater value in diversity than in sameness, because diversity means we learn more from one another. You see a broader picture. Your arms get wider. Your mind opens up.  You understand more because you see more. And you love more because of what you had to overcome to love.

Why do you think God made us so different? He didn’t have to do that. That was definitely part of the overall plan. He wanted us to learn from our differences. He wanted us to struggle over this. He made a world where racism was possible so we could learn to conquer it. He obviously created us with a problem to overcome and then show His love through us. So much He wants to say.

So how are we doing? As a nation, not too well right now. But the bigger question is: How are each of us doing?