I learned a new word this week – “Colorism.” It is discrimination based on skin color. Usually prevalent among colored people (non-whites), those who are of fair skin color are preferred over those who are dark skinned. In other words, the only thing that determines a perceived value of a person is her skin color.

In my own ethnic culture, Koreans would do anything to appear “western” – big eyes, narrow jaw-line, pale skin, bleached hair, high nose-bridge, etc. So much so that Korea is the #1 country in the world on numbers of plastic surgeries performed! A prettier face leads to more career opportunities, better marriage prospects, higher education, etc.

It really is true that people will do anything to separate themselves from others according to the random standard they have set for themselves.

What’s wrong with us? Why do we separate ourselves from our own people based on completely frivolous standards we have set for ourselves? Why is lighter skin better than darker skin? Why is double eyelids better than mono-eyelids? Says who???

That’s what sin does. Sin separates. Then, it destroys God’s standard and erects its own standard in replacement to enslave people to it! Remember Adam and Eve? Sin separated them from God and thus from His standard? And then they erected their own standard since they cannot do away from some kind of standard? (Their disregard for God’s command not to eat from the tree was itself erecting their own standard – “I disagree with God’s command. I will do it my way!”)

God, in His mercy, gave us one law. (Don’t eat from the tree)
We thought it was too restricting. So, in its place, we erected thousands of more laws (standards)!

We are utterly, helplessly lost without God. The harder we try to save ourselves, the deeper we bury ourselves in.

Thanks be to God that there is a Savior! Look to Him for your standard!

PH