Color Blind

I am not racist but I'm not exactly color blind either. I wish I could say I was color blind; I'm just not.

I certainly don't hate or resent other races. I don't mistrust them, fear them, or avoid them. I'm offended by how common racial prejudice is in my grandparents' generation but its poison has been diluted in the boomer generation and I feel that overt, hateful racism has become a backward minority position in my generation. Thank God. [Note: a recent poll says 75% of Americans see significant progress in race relations, including 66% of Black Americans]

But I'm not color blind. I honestly do notice if someone is asian or black or whatever, in large part due to my genuine fascination with ethnicity and family histories. You're part Czech? Hmmm, that's cool. I'm not bothered by your family history; I'm fascinated by it. For instance, I know a guy whose mother is Japanese, but sometimes people try to speak Spanish to him, thinking that he's Hispanic (he just has dark hair). I think that's really interesting… and sorta funny. Is that wrong?

Would there be less stigma attached to my curiosity if I was more diverse myself? I have some German background and a lot of generic English; entirely Anglo-European, as far as I know. My wife is thoroughly Scotch-Irish, red hair and all, and my kids can get sunburned indoors. A lot of people would look at us and see a bunch of white people. But in God's eyes there is really only one race, the human race. We are all created in God's image and offered salvation through Jesus Christ.

Each person, regardless of race, has equal value imbued by God. When our differences cease to be threatening, then maybe they can be appreciated. If that will not happen on this side of Glory, then may we all at least be color blind.