No one with a modicum of awareness will deny that racism—the inclination to judge a person solely on the basis of his skin pigmentation or ethnic background—has been a human problem for centuries.

Paul addressed this problem before the haughty Greeks in Athens; there he affirmed that:
“God made of [out of] one [masculine – one man, an allusion to Adam] all men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26).

This concept ran counter to the ancient Greek notion that they were superior to others. Many have been racist out of ignorance or weakness. Others, with a more ingrained disposition, have sought to defend it.

Many past advocates of evolution were racist to the core. Charles Darwin’s, The Origin of Species (1859) was even subtitled “The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life.” The notion of a “superior race” that later was argued by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and so brutally implemented by Adolf Hitler clearly had Darwinian roots.

But many religionists — of all ethnic backgrounds — have been racist as well. There are, of course, black militant groups that are intensely racist also, as indeed there are racists in all ethnic segments of humanity. Jesus, in his parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10), renders a death-blow to racist ideas.

Why racism is morally wrong
Racism is morally wrong for the following reasons:
1. It denies the basic unity of the human family as the offspring of God. Adam and Eve are the grandparents of us all (Genesis 3:20).
2. The denigration of any human being, made in the image of God, is an assault upon the Creator himself (cf. Genesis 9:6).
3. Since Christ died for all people (1 Timothy 2:5-6), any attempt to castigate a segment of humanity, suggesting its unworthiness, reflects upon the Savior’s sacrifice.
4. Racism militates against one intended design of Jesus’ mission — to eradicate all ethnic barriers (Galatians 3:28).
May God help us be more like the little boy who, returning from his first day at school, joyfully told his mother, “Mamma, I’ve found a new friend.” “What color was he?” she inquired. His pure response was, “I forgot to ask.”

-by Wayne Jackson
–submitted by Jerry Sturgill

As the winter season waxes upon us, we find ourselves in situations that can bring us despair. In this time, harsh weather and shortened sunlight are combined with increased sickness and the stresses of events with family, who bring us manifold joys but also multiple heartaches. The great prophet Elijah comes to mind when these circumstances of the wintertime are considered.
 
Elijah became pitiable and despondent on the heels of experiencing great triumphs in his life. By his word to God, the rain stopped for over three years and returned (1 Kings 17:1; 18:1). During the drought, he had received bread and flesh from ravens sent from God (1 Kings 17:6). God worked through him to make food for one meal last for several days to feed him and a widow and her son (1 Kings 17:14-16). God even used Elijah to restore the widow’s son back to life (1 Kings 17:20-22). And who could forget one of the greatest peaks of Elijah’s career as a man of God, his contest on Mt. Carmel with the 450 false prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18? God sent fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice, proving Elijah to be a true man of the true God (1 Kings 18:36).
 
However, gloom came upon Elijah almost as suddenly as God’s fire came upon his sacrifice. Jezebel sought his life so that he fled and, “sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers (1 Kings 19:4). Elijah is exhausted, he feels he has had enough, and all he wants to do is stay secluded in a dark cave (1 Kings 19:9). He feels alone: that no one understands him, and that he is the only one who wants to serve the Lord (1 Kings 19:10).
 
What the Lord tells Elijah is good advice to keep in mind for all of us as we experience the blues of the cold season. First, God tells Elijah to get up and eat (1 Kings 19:7). This does not mean that we should consume all the sweets available during this time of year. One of my problems when I am feeling down is that I have not eaten good, nourishing food and that I have filled up on simple sugars that have caused me to crash. So remember the right kind of food, even if you do not have an appetite, can help. Second, God spoke to Elijah so that he would not be entirely alone for a long period in a dark cave (1 Kings 19:9). Communicating with others instead of hiding from the world is important to our health. Third, Elijah’s focus is shifted from himself to the great power and presence of God in his life (1 Kings 19:11-13). Though God is not speaking to us directly today, we can focus on the great good God has accomplished in our lives. Finally, God gave Elijah a task so that he would forget himself and get busy rendering his service to others (1 Kings 19:14-16). Instead of paddling about in a pool of self-pity, it is good for us to focus on serving others, helping them with their problems, and training them in the Lord.
 
Elijah went on to be a beloved mentor of Elisha, just as God had instructed him (1 Kings 19:16, 19). Just as the new year on the horizon will soon come with new life, soon dark days will be over and we can continue with renewed vigor the work God has for us. Soon we will be called up to be with Him in heaven, where we will be in a place of eternal light (Rev. 22:5) and no more tears (Rev. 21:4), leaving our work on earth to others, as Elijah did (2 Kings 2:1-15).
 
–Mark Day