Classified
Theme of the Week: Dealing with Ethnicity Today
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: "His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups" (Ephesians 2:15). Bonus Reading:Ephesians 2:11-22
A friend of mine was ice skating in a public rink. A boy bumped into him as he was being chased playfully. My friend said under his breath, "That black kid …" Then he caught himself and thought, What does this kid's behavior have to do with him being black? The answer was, nothing. He was just being a kid.
Our environment and experiences condition us to prejudge and classify people in many ways. Some actions are influenced by our ethnicity; others have nothing to do with it.
Many ideas from the media, academics, and popular culture about how groups should relate don't measure up to the biblical position.
The Scriptures' entire thrust is on crushing division, bitterness, hatred, injustice, and indifference between groups of people. Jesus' ministry, and teaching, as well as the practice of the early church, support a direct, intentional assault on these things. They support unity, cooperative leadership, joint fellowship, and compassionate concern for the needs of all groups. To break division, the gospel is God's power, His Spirit our guide.
—Kevin Blue in Faith on the Edge
My Response: How am I subjecting my racial views to biblical mandates?
Thought to Apply: Skin color doesn't matter to God, for He's looking upon the heart. When men are standing at the foot of the cross there are no racial barriers.—Billy Graham
Adapted from Faith on the Edge (InterVarsity, 1999) by permission.
Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
Lord, if I'm part of the problem for unity in Your Church, make me willing to take action to become part of the solution.
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