In light of the recent mass shootings, political divisions, and other man-made issues that divide us, I felt lost in the chaos. God’s created beings are at war with each other. We have forgotten that we are all human first. Everyone is our brother or sister. We need to learn to love them the way Christ loves us.
We Are All Human
Our country feels divided. So many people take sides in today’s problems. Then they get angry when someone disagrees with them. People hate each other over their differences. We seem to forget that we are all human, created by God in His image. We are more similar than some people want to admit. Let’s look at humans through God’s eye.
Created in The Image of God
When God created the earth in Genesis, He looked over everything and called it good. God’s creations are perfect, and that includes you and me. God created Adam and Eve. And, all human being trace their ancestry back to these first people. In other words, we come from the same lineage. We are one family, the family of God.
Humans Created Divisions
The same blood types span across all nationalities and ethnicities. God made all of us the same. We share blood types, along with the number of muscles, tendons, and bones in our bodies. When God looks down on His creation, He does not see us the way we see each other. Human hearts created divisions based on factors like size, skin color, or mental abilities. Discrimination is not a Godly trait.
God Loves All People the Same
God loves people based on the condition of their hearts, not the color of their skin, political affiliation, or ethnic background. As Romans 8:39 reminds us, nothing will separate any us from the love of God. Our man-made divisions go against God’s command to love one another as found in John 13:34. In a world full of malice, we must stand up for others and be the difference that changes the world. We need to learn to love the heart of the person.
[bctt tweet=”Discrimination is not a Godly Trait.”]
We are all human. We are all created in the image of God. Even thought we may look different on the outside, we are all God’s children. Let us remember the beautiful prayer by St. Francis as we seek to spread more love and less hatred:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/prayer/traditional-catholic-prayers/saints-prayers/peace-prayer-of-saint-francis
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Be the Difference
- Pray for those who are different from you
- Guard our words to ensure we don’t add to the divisions
- Seek justice and love mercy
- Learn about other cultures and races
- Help the less fortunate
- Forgive often
- Shine the light of Christ in the darkness
- Remember, we are all human
Blessings,
Yvonne – #blogger, #speaker, and #author
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
100% of the proceeds from sales of my book, Turning Mountains Into Molehills, go to help the orphans at Orphan Relief Effort, Inc
Additional Resources:
A blog on learning to dialogue about out difference by Henry Abuto
Amen. Thank you for this inspirational message.
Thank you and God bless
Amen! We must remember that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness. Thank you for this reminder.
You are so correct. The powers of darkness will always try to divide us. But God calls us to live in love. Love is so much better than hatred. God bless
Excellent thoughts here, Yvonne. I love St. Francis’ prayer. It is on point and timelessly relevant, as are your suggestions for being the difference. Thank you for this challenge and encouragement.
Thanks Stephen. We can get so bogged down in the arguments to prove we are right that we forget we have a higher purpose. God bless
I love your tips on how to ve a difference. Thanks Yvonne!
God bless Ava and thanks for your feedback. I really appreciate you.
For such a time as this we are called to be faithful as you have suggested here. May it become more so within the Church of Jesus Christ that His grace and mercy might be spread and understood.
Amen Sister great Post!!
Thank you Stephen. The church needs to stand up and remind everyone that we are all God’s creation. God bless
Beautiful, Yvonne. When we discriminate, we are actually trashing the image of God since ALL people are created in His image. “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” James 2:1
You are so spot on Karen. We must see everyone through the eyes of God. Thanks and God bless.
Beautifully written, Yvonne! How we need this message to ring out over the hatred and division! Holy Spirit help us abide in Christ, that your divine love may flow into us and through us into a hurting world.
Yes, we need to be on our knees praying for the Spirit to bathe our country in love. Thanks and God bless
Amen!
A much needed message for our day. Thanks and God bless!
Thanks and God bless
Beautiful words and encouragements to remember the humanity and equality of all. These words needs to be shouted from the rooftops and megaphoned regularly out into our culture and the wider world. Our world careens toward chaos unless we hear this message. Come, Lord Jesus! Bring us peace. Bring us yourself.
Yes Lord, bring us peace. We need You desperately. Thanks Melinda and God bless
Such a powerful and MUCH-NEEDED message! So much of the evil and darkness in society stems from fear of the other, but you are right: we are all human.
Thanks Jessica. We need the light of Jesus to dispel all the fears. God bless
Beautiful post, Yvonne. We are all created in God’s image. We’ve each been given a mind to think and created with individual traits, but ultimately, we’re all a reflection of our Father’s design. We need to keep this in mind when someone believes differently than us. And rather than censure, we need to treat others, to see them, through a filter of love.
Amen Jeanne. We really do need to see everyone through the filter of love. That’s a great way to put it. God bless