It’s Black History Month. Kind of an awkward time for a middle-aged white guy deep in the heart of Texas. In my hometown, the Civil War statue on the courthouse lawn is still a hot-button issue with a few protests lingering.
Things were even more volatile a few years ago. Protests. AR-15s. One side saying Black Lives Matter, the other side saying Confederate history matters. That’s the sanitized synopsis. It was nasty.
A friend of mine who is a Deacon at a Black church in town, invited me to a prayer time for unity on the square. I showed up with little more information than that. About twenty others showed up. In that small diverse group, I’m pretty sure I was the only white pastor. The local newspaper took and published some photos that included me.
This post isn’t about Confederate statues, but the fallout from that prayer gathering was surprising, to say the least. A single protestor that day became verbally abusive to some of the participants, and without really thinking I stood between him and those he was threatening.
I expected to be lambasted by him, and he didn’t disappoint. What I didn’t expect was the reaction when those photos were published. Few said anything to my face or inbox, but I heard a lot of rumors about the name-calling and stereotyping directed my way.
I’m no radical progressive and have never been associated with BLM or a protest, but it didn’t matter. Guilty by association because I had the audacity to participate in a unity prayer time.
It was about that time I began to notice how many melanin-challenged people in my circle would say things like, “I don’t see color. Just people.” I’m pretty sure that I have said some similar things in the past too.
I don’t care what political side I might fall on or who might think what. Okay, I probably do care about what others think, but just try not to let it bother me. What I do care about is following Jesus without exception or hesitation. Though I certainly don’t always succeed at that.
Which brings the question, “Is Jesus Color Blind?”
While there are different social constructs among different people groups, race throughout history has been determined by physical appearance more than anything, especially skin color.
What if it were hair or eye color instead? Hypothetical yes, but important to understanding the logical conundrum of “color blindness” and race. If redhead, blond, and brunette hair color defined race, imagine how silly it would be to tell a redhead, I don’t see your hair color!
If someone told me, with my abundantly gray hair, I don’t see hair color - then they aren’t really seeing me. The color of my hair is part of who I am. People know me by it. Why would someone choose to ignore it?
From that perspective, let me ask again, “Is Jesus Color Blind?”
According to the book of Revelation, here’s who will be standing before Jesus at the end of all things.
Revelation 7:9 (NET)
After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.
In case you don’t know the imagery, the Lamb here symbolizes Jesus. This crowd is not some homogenized mass of humanity. Every nation, tribe, people, and language is represented. Dare I say… diversity?
How boring would it be if people were all the same? God created humans in many shapes, sizes, and colors. It would be ludicrous to say, “I don’t see skinny people.”
The Bible tells us there is something that all humanity shares though.
Acts 17:26 (NKJV)
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.
There are some debates if that verse should say one blood or one man, but the meaning is essentially the same. All the differences in humans come from ONE source. We are all… hang on… related. Don’t believe me? Here’s what God said to Noah:
Genesis 9:5-6 (NET)
5 For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.
6 “Whoever sheds human blood,
by other humans
must his blood be shed;
for in Godʼs image
God has made humankind.”
Biblically, immigrants can’t “poison the blood” of our nation. We are all blood relatives already.
There was an incredible sunset in my rearview mirror last night. I have seldom seen such different and deep colors in the sky. Those differences were breathtakingly beautiful.
And so are the colors of humanity. Whoever you are, whatever your background, color, or ethnicity, I believe Jesus sees you and knows you.
Yes. Jesus sees color, and you should too. It’s part of what makes humanity beautiful.
If you can’t see color now, you aren’t going to like heaven much.
The sad thing is that most I know who say they don’t see color are white Christians who likely grew up singing this song…
Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
You should too. Color, race, and all.