"I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him."

Booker T. Washington

I don't know about you, but I am getting more than a little concerned about the use of race in what passes for our modern day America. Every time a person of one color does something to a person of another color, somebody of the offended color gets up to a national microphone to attack those of the offending color.

Just following all the colors is making me dizzy!

Booker T. Washington came out of slavery and lived in a segregated nation during the oppressive Jim Crow era. There were many people who hated him without even knowing him, simply because of the color of his skin. But instead of allowing that unfairness of life to slow him down, Booker T. Washington used it as a motivation to help end that unfairness. He didn't do it by wearing a T-shirt that proclaimed, "I can't breath", nor did he destroy and steal other people's property while chanting, "Black lives matter". Instead, with the help of black people and white people, Booker T. Washington responded to the unfairness of life with the simple goal of educating people of his race and encouraging them to get into business for themselves so that they could help bring an end to that unfairness.

And, most importantly, while he set this noble task, he was determined not to waste his time with hating those who were doing him wrong because he knew that the hatred of others always results in the belittling of one's soul.

God did not create us to be people with little souls. That was true in the days of slavery, it was true in the days that Christ walked the earth, and it is true for us now.

Hatred belittles the soul! The sooner we learn that lesson, the happier we will be.

"Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love."

I John 4:7-8, KJV 

Only two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Einstein

One of the most important elements of critical thinking is the ability to distinguish between fact and theory. As a Christian who believes in the accuracy and authenticity of the Bible, I am far more interested in what the Bible says as compared to what some man has said. The reason for this is simple: I believe that the Bible is God's word. Other people don't have to agree with me on that stance, that's their prerogative entirely, but since I do believe this to be true, I accept the Bible as fact and view with skepticism the opinions of men. So, if God's word says don't lie, but some man thinks you can in certain instances, I accept God's word and reject man's opinion.

It's the same in the realm of science. I believe in gravity and am convinced that it is proven science. If some man comes along who is convinced that he has found a loophole to the rules of gravity and invites me to jump off a cliff with him to prove his theory, I will respectfully decline. Right or wrong, my critical thinking has led me to accept one position as fact and one as theory. To me, it's good not to get the two mixed up.

I have watched with interest over the years how dogmatic scientists can be when it comes to theory. When I was in school in the 1970's, the prevailing scientific theory was that the earth was cooling at a dangerous pace. Something had to be done quickly or we would likely be well on the path to the next ice age (See June 24, 1974 Time Magazine for further details). But now, in the 21st Century, prevailing scientific theory suggests that because the earth has been experiencing a warming trend, that we must quickly do something about it to avert disaster. Cool!

Now, I have no problem with scientific fact. I do, however, find occasion to question the theoretic conclusions that some scientists derive from those facts. Evolutionary theory has been taught in many schools for years as fact, yet it is no more proven fact than the causes of climate change or the suspension of gravity. I have no problem with folks who believe that their scientific theories are right - some are. But, when it comes to evolution, or the next ice age, or the suspension of gravity, I believe that I will simply refrain from joining these zealots as they jump off of their various cliffs of scientific theory.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth... Genesis 1:1, NIV

A man's influence is immortal. Why then not strive to make its perpetuation worthwhile?   

J.C. Penney

J.C. Penney started out like so many of us do, with a small business and a willingness to put in whatever hard work was necessary to make it work. He ended up, however, as few men do, going from a one store operation in a small Wyoming town, to overseeing one of America's first billion dollar businesses. Such accomplishment would be enough to swell any man's ego, but not J.C. Penney. In fact, the more successful he became, the closer he walked with God... or perhaps more accurately, the more closely he walked with God, the more successful he became. So how did he do it? 

One of the keys to Mr. Penney's success was the recognition of the importance of a man's influence. He wasn't interested in this from a perspective of being influential in a self-aggrandizing way, rather, he was keenly aware of how important his influence was on his fellow man. He knew that if he could treat others the way he would like to be treated, if he could give an honest day's work for an honest day's pay and expect the same from others, then he would have an influence that would be worthwhile: One that would help others draw closer to God.

How about us? It's true that we may never have the influence of a J.C. Penney, but we do have our share of influence. Every day that we interact with others, whether it be our family or business associates or friends or just our chance acquaintances, we have influence. The question is, what will we do with that influence? Will we use others? Will we merely tolerate others as a necessary nuisance? Or, will we help others come a little closer to God with every touch we have on their daily existence?

The fact is that our influence will far exceed the few short years of our physical lives. Will we leave behind a legacy of selfish pursuit? Will we just "tread water" and then pass on? Or, will we leave behind a legacy that is worthy of the Master? We answer this question every day... with our influence.

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.  

Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV

“Dad, you’re my father. I’m your son. I love you. I always have and I always will. But you think of yourself as a colored man. I think of myself as a man.” Sidney Poitier, from “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”

My daughter goes to a small church in Oklahoma that has some of the most loving Christians you could ever find yourself privileged to meet. They reflect Jesus very well in their lives, and she is fortunate indeed to have found them. They are her family. Nearly all of them are black.

I preach at a small church in Texas that also has some of the most loving Christians you will ever meet. They, too, reflect Jesus very well in their lives and my family is fortunate indeed to have found them. They are our family. Nearly all of them have white skin.

Skin color really doesn’t come up much at either of our worship services. We are pretty much like all of you: Skin color just doesn’t matter, when you are a Christian.

Not so, in Washington D.C. Yesterday, at a hearing designed to investigate a government cover-up involving the use of the IRS as a punitive tool against political enemies, a congressman’s microphone was cut off after the hearing was over. No big deal, right? Normally, it would not have been, but you see, this congressman apparently viewed himself as a black man.

Another man, who appears to define everything in life from the lens of color – Jesse Jackson - took offense. Jesse is a black man before he is any other kind of man and no man, regardless of color, better forget it. Now he is issuing the charge of racism towards the chairman of the congressional committee who ended the hearing after the IRS witness refused to testify.

So, today, there is little talk about an IRS/Government scandal – which it is – and oodles of talk about the color of people’s skin. How far we have descended… as a once great nation!

I like Bill Cosby – I have his old shows on DVD. I like Alan Keyes – I voted for him for President. I like Dr. Thomas Sowell – I can’t get enough of this Stanford Professor’s views on economics. All three men are brilliant in their respective walks of life. They view themselves as men.They were determined to be men, so they became men worthy of the notoriety they have achieved.

I, on the other hand, do not like President Obama (Don’t misunderstand – I love him and pray for his repentance so that he can be saved – but I do not like his actions). I do not like Eric Holder or Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. They all, (at least from what I have observed of their actions and comments), appear to view themselves as black men. So they have, in my opinion, vastly underachieved in the walks of life that they have chosen.

Do you view yourself as a man or a woman… or do you view yourself from the hyphenated lens of color? Now, it’s true that we all have to live the best life before God from the position that we start with, and we all have a color on our skin that is a part of us that cannot be ignored. But, if we do not stop viewing everybody from the first thing we see – the color of their skin – we will never become the type of men and women that befit a noble nation, or a church that is worthy of the name of Jesus.

“Then His disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?’ But He answered and said,‘Every plant which my Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind.’”Matthew 15:12-14, NKJV