Here is then the central truth of ALL human relations - we are all of ONE blood. Belief in and acceptance of this fact alone would end the vast majority of the bloodshed and hatred that has marred our world and our nation in the past. The simple fact that we feel the need to attach color or race to any identifying name or idea tells us that we do not believe God in this matter. For if we are all of one blood, then we are all of ONE blood, and therefore we are all family. Any attempt to divide our affections, our loyalties, our charity, our concern, our hopes and our protection along lines of race, gender or age are ALL simply expressions of our sin and our basic hatred of anyone that is not us. And therein lies the root of our problem, because, at our core, we do essentially hate everyone who is not us. We can decide to partially include people that are LIKE us in some obvious way, we can extend our concern to those whose plight might one day effect our own, but our agendas and our causes are essentially selfishly driven. However, the simple fact of Scripture is this: God made us all from one human father, and so we are all related in fundamental way. We must begin from this place of oneness to find the path of peace. It is not to deny all difference but to embrace them in a way that honors our God. We are not called to be "color blind" but rather to embrace and delight in our unique expressions of the diversity of humanity, to find the heart of the Father in the eyes of every man, woman and child and to understand that the basic need of each is the same - we are all born into spiritual death and stand always in need of a Savior, that need, however is answered in the shed blood of Jesus. He is the singular message needed by the multiplicity of our shared humanity. Beloved, carry the Gospel, love the brethren, honor your God.