Red, yellow, black, white

I work with students from all over the world. It's a very enlightening and rewarding job. These students have come across the globe to better themselves, but they are still just students, just people. They look different than I do, they speak differently, and many of them dress differently. Those things just make us different; they don't make one of use better or worse than the other.

I've heard many natives in my area complain about running into so many foreigners at Walmart and complain that the foreign students don't speak English well. How can they improve their English when most Americans won't even speak to them?? It's very sad how my students go into academic classes and the American students won't say a word to them. My students tell me how nice I am for simply having a conversation with them outside of class.

Are there people you avoid in Walmart? When you see a certain type of person, do you turn down another aisle or push your buggy in the opposite direction? Do you judge them by the color of their skin or by how they're dressed?

James 2:1-10 states:
¹ My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. ² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷ Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^[a] you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

God created every one of us, and He loves every one of us. He says it is wrong to mistreat any person or favor a certain group of people. Yes, it is difficult to ignore stereotypes, but that is what we must strive to do. Saggy pants don't make someone a gangster, glasses don't make someone a bookworm, a thwab doesn't make someone a terrorist, cowboy boots don't make someone a redneck, a tie-dyed shirt doesn't make someone a hippie, and a nice suit and tie doesn't make someone a snob. Next time you're tempted to judge someone by his/her looks, remember that Jesus died for everyone.

Red and yellow, black and white, we're all precious in His sight!