He Wears Brown Skin

This is my son Isaiah.

He wears brown skin.

A few months ago, he competed for a college scholarship. He presented himself well.  He was charming, and he looked good. In many ways, Isaiah has advantages over some other boys his age. He comes from a two parent home. Both of his parents have college degrees.  He lives in a middle-class neighborhood where his parents own a home. He has had excellent educational opportunities, and he has been well loved…

And he wears brown skin.

Isaiah is liked by his peers. He is polite, he is kind, loving, and works hard.  He will be attending a university this fall, and his Dad and I are so proud. We expect he will do well. 

However, there is one thing that continues to take up residence in the back of my mind.  It is a worry so many mothers of brown-skinned boys have all over this country. Will he be safe? Will he be in the wrong place at the wrong time and be misunderstood? It doesn’t matter that he has the advantages mentioned above. He still wears brown skin. 

I have been treated unfairly in the past, based on what I look like. I wasn’t being paranoid, I wasn’t being overly sensitive. It’s just a fact.  My guess is that many of us, regardless of the shade of our skin, have been treated differently based on something about us, viewed as unsatisfactory to whoever was the “judge” at that moment.  

Now, imagine not being able to change or hide that thing about yourself that is often deemed unsatisfactory. Imagine having to be judged by it everywhere you go.  Imagine feeling like you have to be extra good, extra polite, extra smart, extra “put together.” Imagine the stress of being “extra,” then trying to discern who or what you are “safe” from each and every day within the invisible boundaries placed around you. It’s a stressful thought, isn’t it? 

I know this is a tough thing to grasp, but I’m doing my best to help you see what it’s like to be someone like me. Please understand, I do not allow this to rule my life, but there is a constant presence. . .

Residual fear and psychological enslavement that I talked about yesterday, very often rears its ugly head in my life, and I believe it to be Satan’s special formula to paralyze me, among others, and to pull us down as a people.  By people, I mean ALL OF US. What each of us so often do, is believe the lies the enemy feeds us. The lies are different for each of us and they perpetuate fear. For some, the lie is that we are hated by all who are different from us, so we sometimes react to that lie in a way that continues to feed fear.  For some, the lie is that we are better than “them” and we have the right to treat them differently. . . which leads to more fear and hate. For some, the lie is that if they are not “from here” or like us, we have the right to cast them out and mistreat them. For some, the lie is that there is not really a problem, so we don’t need to talk about it, and will go away. 

There are all kinds of lies we believe about who we or others are, but what is the truth of our Creator?

Well, it says in Genesis 1:27, we are ALL created in God’s image, He doesn’t make a distinction about the value of one person over another.

God does not show favoritism, so it’s not okay for us to show it either. In fact, James 2:9 says if we do, we are sinning. 

Exodus 22:21 says, “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” We are all foreigners somewhere. 

Colossians 3 beautifully explains who we are and what kind of people we should be, especially those who consider themselves “God people”.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

Let’s focus on the last part of that verse.  

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”

Love is the answer, my friends. Plain ol’ simple LOVE. 

What lie can you shed today in order to clothe yourself in love?