But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace.
Ephesians 2:13-14

Hate is such an ugly word. People tend to look at others with disgust and place them in stereotypical boxes labeled racism. This racism is incredibly real in southern parts of the United States. We no longer have selected seating for African Americans on buses or separate water fountains and bathrooms for caucasian people. In fact, in the United States today, we should all have the freedom to participate in the same activities equally.

However, the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia on February 23rd has reopened wounds of the past. It seems Arbery was hunted down like someone in the Hunger Games and killed for sport. I’m no forensic video viewer, but it was tough to view the video in any other way. You should not be ok with this. It should cause you to consider whether parts of our society have degenerated into something near barbaric and shameful.

Indeed, you cannot take the actions of a couple of people and project them onto everyone in a specific group of people. Just because I’m the same ethnicity as the father and son who hunted down Arbery does not make me anything like them in any way.

Let’s step back a few minutes and consider God’s view.

God Embraces Ethnic Diversity

When God looks at us, He does not see our ethnicity as something that makes us greater or less than someone else (Galatians 3:28). God is not concerned with our ethnicity. He is concerned with the relationship we have with Him. We are either far off from or are near to God. That’s it. That’s the big answer. With all of the different problems we experience in our society, ethnic diversity is something we should embrace, not consider a disgrace.

Over the past 30 years in ministry, I have met people who look at different ethnicities as being inferior to “white” people. I’ve heard men explain that other ethnic groups are the result of sin and that they should be in their “own” church. I’ve heard men say, “they are just not like us.”

Let me be very clear. These kinds of comments are a sinful view of humanity and do not honor God.

Philippians 2:3 says we should consider others more highly or better than ourselves. We cannot do this and consider African Americans or other ethnic groups as less than ourselves. God does not look at others this way, and we should not look at others in this way.

God Embraces the Heart

When God looks at us, He sees the heart, not the skin. God’s interest in each person on the face of the earth is that they have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. That’s the bottom line. We agree with God’s view of humanity when the things that concern God concern us. A person’s soul. Genuine concern means that we also embrace the fact that God draws people to Himself to provide peace between Himself and others. This incredible act of love was accomplished on the cross when Jesus died for the sins of the world.

Jesus didn’t only die for the sins of “white” people. Jesus died for the sins of the world. The human race wanders around looking for answers to some of life’s most challenging problems, and the answer is right in front of them. The answer is Jesus. This is the peace Paul speaks of in Ephesians 2. Those who are far off (lost and without hope) are brought near (saved with peace and eternal hope) through Jesus.

That’s the answer. That’s how God looks at humanity. When He looks at us, He looks at us as either saved or lost. That’s how he looks at those who embrace sinful views of humanity. God desires to give them peace as well. Do you view humanity as God does, or do you harbor a sinful view of others?

God Embraces the Hurting

This is where things get tough. God loves the world (all ethnic groups) so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, to die on a cross to save people from their sins. God did not reserve salvation for a specific ethnic group. He willingly gave it to all ethnic groups. There is no doubt that the Arbery family is hurting today and has been for well over a month as the creeping and sometimes failed justice system moves things along. However, God is always there to provide help for the hurting. In this case, God does not differentiate. His help is immediate and embracing.

It’s not necessary to get into the weeds on this one. Here is the bottom line. There is one race…the human race. And God loves His creation so much that He made a way for us to have a relationship with Him.

So how does God look at humanity? We are either saved or lost. That’s it. Nothing else. Sure, people are different, but at the end of the day, at the end of life, the only thing that will matter is whether we have a relationship with Him through Jesus. If we do, an eternity in heaven is our reward. If not, an eternity in hell is our destiny. When we have a relationship with Jesus, He provides help for us in our times of hurting. There is nothing worse than having to go through a time of hurting and mourning without the peace of Jesus leading and guiding you through those rough waters.

What do You Embrace?

Godly people display the fruits of the Spirit, not out of duty, but out of love for God and others. Will you take on the challenge to break down the walls of racism in your community and world by living a life full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control around others? Will you look at others as God looks at them? Will you live a life of compassion and missionary zeal as you tell others about the hope you have in Jesus so that they might also embrace that same hope?

Will you embrace love over racism?