"we're All One Family"

The Apostle Paul affirms the unity and diversity of all nations in Acts 17. He was addressing Greeks who regarded themselves as superior race. Race matters only to racists; the rest of us care about character. It is distressing how people have twisted this passage to justify segregation. In His Providence, God determines where we live. I’ve lived in 4 countries and 10 states. To interpret God “fixing the bounds of our habitation” racially, most of us shouldn’t be here in America!

Prejudice is a social evil present in every culture of our fallen world. It is holding negative attitudes towards others based on generalizations and stereotypes, resulting in discrimination. It is forming conclusions without consulting the facts. And it is regarding one’s race as superior. Prejudice fosters hatred. When I taught Race Relations in the Army, I’d jokingly say “Never dislike people because of their race; once you get to know them, you’ll find much better reasons to dislike them!”

The richness of America is found in our diversity. In President Kennedy book, A nation of Immigrants, he notes that “You can move to France but you’ll never fully be considered a Frenchman; you could move to Germany, but you’ll never truly be a German; yet anyone can come to America and be an American.” My grandparents came here from Norway and Sweden. Kennedy stated that “A nation’s greatness can be measured by the number of people trying to get in as opposed to the number trying to leave.”

Anyone can be a target of bigotry. At Fort Meade, I was introduced to a Sergeant who shook my hand, noticed I wasn’t wearing jump wings, then said with a sneer: “You’re not Airborne.” He then spat on his hand and wiped it on the back of his boot. I was too stunned to remind him that he had insulted an officer. By the way, I discovered that I can do something Airborne troops can’t do: I can land in a C-130!

In verse 26 we’re told “From one man God made every nation of men.” There is one common origin for all people; therefore, we’re all brothers and sisters. Charles Darwin disagreed with this. He claimed that the various races were evolving at different rates and concluded that some were superior to others. This appealed to Hitler, who used Darwin’s theory to justify the extermination of the Jews, whom he regarded as an inferior race. Hitler wanted to dedicate his book Mein Kampf to Darwin. Scripture insists that despite our differences, there is ultimately one race--the human race. We’re all one family!

The early chapters of Genesis affirm that we have a common ancestor and that we’ve all been fashioned in the image of God. We stand on common ground, with dignity and worth. “God did not create racism; God created humanity. Racism goes against the need to see others as God’s image bearers” (Emmett Price).Jesus declared in Luke 13:29 that “People will come from the east and west, north and south, and sit together at the feast in the Kingdom of God.: Are we willing to sit together now?

Our faith compels us to respond to the wrongs of society, which we sometimes do reluctantly. Tom Lehrer wrote a satirical song, “National Brotherhood Week,” that pokes fun at superficial attempts to promote unity. Lehrer sings, “All of my folks hate all of your folks, it’s American as apple pie; but go up and shake the hand of someone you can’t stand. But don’t worry, don’t shed a tear. Be thankful that it’s only once a year!”

Jesus taught that one soul was worth more than the entire world, Matthew 16:26. Every person is of infinite worth. Any society that devalues people is headed for destruction. We can’t claim to love unless we love as we should--regardless of race, gender, rank, personality, culture, economic or ethnic background. “God so loved the world,” not a select group, but everyone. To oppress anyone made in God’s image is to oppose God. We can’t hold racists beliefs and love our neighbor as ourselves.

In the late 1950’s, two African-American families moved into Samuel Marcus’ suburban neighborhood. Within a week, six “For Sale” signs appeared on the lawns of angry residents. Marcus also put up a sign; his read: “This house is not for sale. We like our fine neighbors. All who take pride in their homes are welcome on this street.” Within a few days, all the “For Sale” signs disappeared. Most African-Americans have had a life-altering experience burned into their memory: the moment when they realized being black was a problem.

In the Army, when someone moves next-door, all we want to know is their rank and unit; race is irrelevant. We we’re all green guys, and race is largely a non-issue. When people who appear different from us move next-door, we need to say “How wonderful we live in a diverse community.” In the Epistle of James we’re told, “As believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, show no partiality or favoritism.”