And It Was Very Good

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31a

Imagine God displaying His goodness and beauty in the skin of all His people. Imagine Him stepping back and calling His beautiful creations “good.” Imagine all the wonderful tones and shades He spoke into existence.

Imagine that a pigment in the skin (melanin)—a pigment that affects the degree of which that skin reflects light (color)—affected the way that the creations treated each other. Judgment at first sight.

It has become so complex, and yet our responsibility is simple: stop injustice from both outside and inside the home. We show up in the different ways God leads, but be sensitive to His calling. It’s not just about direct conversations with the kids. It’s also about the “in between time” when you think they’re not listening. They are. It’s about the offhand “jokes” at work. Just as excellence is a habit, so is degradation, and we all have a part to play.

Some will be ignorant; be patient. There are areas that you and I have been ignorant in. Some will be hateful; be loving. There have been times when you and I have been hateful. Some will be relentless for bad; be relentless for good.

It’s a heart change that starts inside of each one of us. I pray that my children will grow up in a world where they can celebrate the beauty of each color and shade, knowing that they were designed to give glory to God. But these traits of appearance are peripheral. I pray even more so for the most important thing… that they learn to trust in the Lord with all of their heart, put their faith in Christ, and believe in Him and His atoning sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins. I pray that they realize that even more important than their skin color, is the understanding that their hearts are evil and depraved. They need a Savior. Their color, though beautiful, is the least of their worries.