“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28 (NKJV)
It’s nice that God created many different kinds of flowers. Having many different kinds of birds is good, too. He also made many different kinds of people. We have our differences, but we are equal in God’s love. He loves no race better than another. There are times within all races when some think they are superior. People can be very hurtful of others either within their own race or in another race.
When I was director of an ONEO (Office of Navajo Economic Opportunity) preschool on the Navajo reservation, I was several miles from the nearest people who spoke fluent English. I had instructional aides who helped me with the young children. I knew enough of the Navajo language to know when they were talking about me. When they used my name in Navajo, it was sometimes followed by a snicker. It reminded me of an occasion in first grade when a girl of my own race turned around and said to me, “Why are you following us? You can’t play with us!”
The word for Navajo means “The People”. I’ve been told that the word for the Zuni Indians means “The People”. The Hopi Indians built their villages on top of mesas in the middle of what is now the Navajo reservation. They did so in order to see the Navajos come from afar to capture them to use as slaves. They could also see Mexicans coming to do the same. I have in my possession a letter written by a Navajo woman about how the Mexican people at one time would capture Navajos to use as slaves.
God must be disappointed in us because we don’t always appreciate the beauty of different kinds of people. He created each individual with a purpose and He loves us all equally. He has commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Why don’t we? Is it sometimes because we inwardly feel that if we can bring others down, we look better by comparison? Can we succeed in getting our children to understand that God loves us equally? Perhaps if people felt comfortable in God’s love, they wouldn’t try to bring down others.
We will never be rid of all sin in this world. Even those who have accepted the love of Christ are not always willing to share that love with others. Christians, however, are without excuse if they do not love all of God’s children. God made people in His image. To look down on others is to look down on God. We are actually saying by actions, “I don’t like the way God made those people”. Who are we to tell God what He should have done??
We can teach our children to love all kinds of people! To love others does not require us to like or approve of their actions. We are, however, to love neighbors as self and share God’s love with them.