Back in the 1930s, my childhood home was loving and happy, but my parents were often away. On those occasions, the center of warmth in our home was the kitchen and our tiny, joyous housekeeper named Annie.

I spent many hours with Annie, sitting at our kitchen table reading books or playing with toys and listening to her sing and hum spirituals and hymns. From her heart sprang a continual flow of wisdom, cheerfulness, and song.

One morning, with childish exuberance, I used a racial slur I had heard. “Oh my, no,” she said, and then proceeded to pour out her heart in a gentle lecture on the harm and hurt in that, accompanied by a terrible sadness in her eyes. I never used that word again.

I learned that we cause unfathomable sorrow when we dishonor and debase others through bigotry. Every human being is created in the image of God—more like God than any other creature and worthy of honor. To demean that image is to wound another human being at the deepest level.

There is but one race: the human race. God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). We are of the same family, made to be treasured and cherished by one another.

Of all creation’s treasures rare,
Not one compares in worth with man,
In God’s own image he was made
To fill a place in His great plan. —D. De Haan

 

God desires that we show respect to all people, because everyone bears His image.

 

~Our Daily Bread May 29, 2012 David H. Roper

(I hadn't heard that verse so I went to look it up to make sure it was in the Bible as this website said it was. It was. The cool part, the part that gave me chills, is that it is right above my favorite verse - in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28)

 

We are made from one blood! Last week in Bible study the verse from the Bible that talks of multitudes from every nation worshipping Him. I can NOT wait to be standing with them. Can you imagine looking around you and seeing all peoples - different peoples - together in worship?

 

The Daily Manna (another email I get of scripture) was from Job 14:13-16 All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin.

 

God loves us :)