It is sad that there is world-wide prejudice amongst people of different race. White people are prejudiced about colored people and vice versa. As Christians, this shouldn’t be for Christ died for all men. John 12:32 ‘and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’ Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 

The Bible never classes a colored person as a second rate person as we see here in this beautiful story of the Spirit causing Philip to evangelize an Ethiopian (black) eunuch. And here we see his subsequent salvation and baptism. Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the man of himself, or of some other man? 

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Why is there such discord amongst men? If you observe babies at play, there is no attention paid to race or color- they are content to play with each other regardless. We must then assume that the principles of racial prejudice are a taught thing. We must be so very careful not to teach our children to despise people of other race or color. For we do so at humanity’s peril. There will be no end to wars, gangs, pogroms and hatred if we do. We must teach our children that we are all God’s Children- no matter what race, color or creed.

If we do not teach our children that Christ loves all mankind, we will snuff out the Spirit of evangelism. We will inoculate our children against love of all people and make them superior, biased and prejudiced. Even in the Church there will be bias as Protestant conflicts with Catholic and charismatic against non-charismatic. All these prejudices will work against the bond of love and peace and will bring untold misery to thousands and untold delight to the Evil One.

Moreover, failure to teach our children tolerance of others in the home will make them become insular and inbound and there will be no young people to bring a suffering humanity to Christ. We must teach that all men are equal in God’s sight if not in man’s.

It must be taught from an early age in every home, for home is the cradle of civilization.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks