What race was Adam and Eve in your mind? In all my years of seeing the artists’ depictions of them, they were never anything other than White. Brown hair. Blue eyes. Light skin color….

If they were white, then where did Asian people come from? What about Blacks? Doesn’t make sense, does it? That’s because “race” is a social construct of this fallen world. There is only one race – that is the human race. God gave us slightly different features and rather than celebrating our diversity, our sinful nature made us divide and oppress those who were “perceived” to be different. You realize that in certain African nations, they divide further the people according to the width of their nose? Those with narrower noses are deemed to be “better” than those with wider noses! (By the way, in Korean culture too, those with “double-eyelids” are deemed to be prettier than those without. Ridiculous, right?).

Sin separates. Sin looks for every which way to distinguish the self from others – to feel superior and “better.” Why? Because it’s the self that is at the center. It is the supreme good. But being a Christian turns that upside down. It is Christ that is the supreme good. And then others. The self comes last. Therefore, rather than dividing over whatever superficial distinctions, such as race (which doesn’t really exist by the way), we come together as those who are all in desperate need of a Savior.

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” Eph. 2:14

Why don’t we look for similarities rather than differences? Why not see others as needy and hurt people rather than angry and selfish. Aren’t we all?

Martin Luther King gave his blood for racial reconciliation. But Jesus gave His blood for a reconciliation with God. Only when we accept what Jesus has done, can we accept what MLK has done. (After all, why should we accept the fact that all men are created equal? Says who? If not God…)

PH