RACISM - Genesis 1:27
Racism - Man is made in God's image. I guess I was very lucky growing up. My parents and church taught me at a young age that all men, that is ALL men are created equal and in the image of God. Going to high school in the early 70's, I was part of the new ,forced busing, initiatives at that time in our history and ended up attending a school that was 90% African-American. I played sports, had a great time in high school and never even thought much about the skin color of the people who were part of my daily life. I went to college at Ohio State University which has a tremendous population of foreign students and made it possible to interact with many of different cultures and backgrounds. I worked in high school and college in a Chinese restaurant and my best friend was Chinese.
After college, I married a woman from Korea and have totally enjoyed that culture and have visited Korea on many occasions. Currently 60% of the Board of Directors of my ministry are African-American and during my time on the road holding evangelistic services I preached in many Korean, Spanish, Romanian, and African-American churches all over the country.
I have been blessed to have been exposed to so many people of different races and cultural backgrounds in my life. That is why I have always been so disgusted when I see the racial divides in this country. You don't have to be much of a historian to realize that the racial tensions in this country are no different, actually pretty tame, compared to the racial tensions in other countries in the world today and throughout time. The Bible is full of stories of racial tensions. Unfortunately, one of the enemies strongest weapons is that of division. The ability to divide people on whatever grounds, race, speech, skin color, hair color, finances, location, has been one of Satan's most effective tools of destruction. In our weakness, we fall into that trap so often.
Let me tell you right now, there is only one distinction that is going to matter for eternity. That is whether or not you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior. There are not going to be lines for Japanese, whites, wealthy, those with blue eyes, or for Baptists, Pentecostals, or Catholics. My friend, there are only going to be two lines when this life is over. The line for those who know Jesus Christ and those who have rejected Jesus Christ!!!
My bible says that God made man in His own image. Not white men in His own image, or black men in His own image, or Russian men in His own image....MAN. We are ALL created equal. I want to challenge you today to quit looking at why the person next to you may be different, and start looking at the person next to you as to whether they have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Their skin color should not be important, but the condition of their heart. God sent His son to die for the sins of this world, so that WHOEVER believes may not perish but have everlasting life. Quit worrying about the nationality of your neighbor and worry about his eternal destination. Let me encourage you today to start looking at the people God places in your life in a different light. Don't dwell on how they may be different, but see how God may use you to open their heart to knowing Christ.
Open your heart and look at your fellow man as God does. As a human soul, made in God's image, that has the same problem we all are born with, sin. Let God use you to touch people, regardless the differences, because in the end, all man has the same date with eternity. How they respond to this man called Jesus will determine where that eternity will be spent.
In His love and service,
Your friend and bother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If you have not made the decision to accept Christ into your heart and life by faith, the Bible says that TODAY is the day of salvation. Pray to ask God to open your heart, read the words, pray the prayer, and accept today God's gift to you of everlasting life through His son Jesus Christ.