This is an oldie by Three Dog Night called Black and White. It is a song that resonates with me deeply because I have been personally touched by racism. I am neither black nor white. People have said I am beige (in winter) and brown in summer. I have been called names, pushed, discounted, and demeaned by people with black, white, brown, yellow, and pink skin colour. I have also practiced discrimination unconsciously.
Finally it dawns, the problem is not the colour of skin, it is the heart of darkness. When we refuse to go beyond our comfort zones and reach out to those with 'negative stickers', we refuse to see and know someone uniquely created by God to teach us what no other person can do, to show us a side of God we never knew.
Tonight I saw the 1989 movie Lean On Me, and was reminded that the at-risk youth I want to avoid need me to be close enough to look into my eyes and see the love of Jesus looking straight into their heart, knowing them, yet loving them unconditionally. It is their only hope.
"...The ink is black, the page is white,
Together we learn to read and write.
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight...
It's a beautiful sight..."
Colossians 3:11-14 (The Holy Bible, NIV Version)
11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
So to all my friends of varied skin tones, I love you, because of your hearts with His light, that love me in spite of.
~Love, Sita~
Go to Amy's blog for more songs that inspire.
13 comments:
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! Blessings Sita...
I have never heard anyone with this kind of insight speak out and make such am excellent explanation of racism and prejudices and what it really is! I am so sorry for all the times that some one made you feel ashamed of who God created you to be or what they perceived as skin color difference...God has no such perception of people...He creates only Masterpieces, each one unique and precious in His sight & mine...I remember this song...oh so well...I think I recall the movie also. But you are so right!!!
Colossians is a perfect verse! You may think that the Christian church would be free from this but some times they are the worse! May we be bound together in unity as One at Toned by Jesus Christ, the perfect blend of love & vision of ONE people walking hand in hand as sisters and brothers, with dignity, respect and integrity! It is becoming more rare! But we are each unique and chosen by God! May you forgive me and all of us who discriminate from a heart of darkness and sin! Bless you Sita!
I love you and I thank you for your message of truth! May God open our eyes and change our hearts!
I have never heard that song before, but it is definately a goodie! Thank you for sharing - lean on me is a awesome movie!
Hi Sita, your song today reminds me of another old song sung by Paul McCartney, "Ebony and Ivory" :
"Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano keyboard, oh Lord, why dont we?
We all know that people are the same where ever we go
There is good and bad in evryone,
We learn to live, we learn to give
Each other what we need to survive together alive."
A childhood Sunday School song rings true, "Red and yellow, black and white, All are precious in His sight..."
Thanks for your beautiful reminder today.
Love & hugs,
Joy
I haven't heard that song in years.
I really don't understand racism. It's just hard for me to imagine being cruel or mean to a person because they are a different color.
It breaks my heart that it still goes on.
Some of the neatest people I've met are "different" colors than I am and it just makes life a lot more fun and interesting.
Thanks for sharing!
Have a great weekend! We're heading to watch our Oklahoma Sooners play football this evening.
That's always fun!
Love,
Val
Sita,
Your words touched me more than you could ever know. The song too. For the first time in my life, 2 days ago, I hosted a child of a different color in my home. If you read my post 'narrow is the way' you will read of my son, Joshua's prompting to bring home a child he thought was in need of a friend. Ernest is new to his football team and instead of hanging out at the pool of popularity, my son chose to befriend this child who has a skin color this is different than his.
If he was uncomfortable in my home at all, he never let it show. I fed them dinner and my husband and son had great conversation with him about the Lord and football. We feel a great love for him already and we don't even know him.
I did not grow up this way...but I am grateful to the Lord for showing me these things through my son's eyes who know no differently.
God bless you!
I remember as a child invited all my best friends to my birthday party and three of them were black. I never thought twice about it. They were my best friends. Many years later, my cousin made a comment about how I was the first to invite black people on our street. I didn't know anything about that at the time. We try not to discuss the color of skin at our house, but describe people according to their personality. My children have no idea to call someone "black." The other day my son was telling me about one of his new friend at school and he was describing him to me. He told me all about him and added he has a brown face. Then he said, "I wish my face was brown, too." I thought that was sweet. Thanks for a beautiful song.
I haven't heard that song since I was a kid, but I love it! Your insight into racism touched my heart today and made me look at things in a different way. What a blessing, thank you!
I couldn't get it to play.
Have a blessed TSMSS! Big hugs my dear sister in Christ. Love sees no color and hears no language. My daughter has that on her myspace page and I love the truth that it speaks. Muah! :)
Hadn't heard that song in years. Thanks for sharing. I know it grieves God's heart to see people at such odds with each other. I'm sorry you've been through such heartache.
I'm sorry people have been so mean to you. That is terrible. God loves all His children. That was a nice song and pretty video.
I remember when that song first came out. I loved it way back then and I still love it. It seems such a shame that in all those years racism istn't something we've been able to put behind us. I think things are getting better though.
good post ...
even tho' i am a "white" - i am also an immigrant to canada ... i remember the early years when i couldn't speak english and bullies making fun of me at recess ... i also still remember a "mature" grade three boy (i was in grade 1 at the time) coming to my defence ... there will always be the good & bad around until the day Jesus returns ... but as someone who loves Jesus (who was probably similar to your colouring), i need to be an example to those who are still in bondage to sin and the fruits of it ...
blessings on ya!
I've always loved this song! My white grandmother married my black step-grandfather in the late 50's... she has so many stories to tell about prejudices that they experienced from both ethnicities. But, their love was sronger than all of that and their marriage lasted all the way until the end. He died just a few years back.
I can also remember the looks on some of my neighbors faces whenever my grandfather visited our very white neighborhood... of course, people thought twice before telling me a racist joke!
Some people just don't get it - God made us just the way we are, period!
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