True Racial Harmony

Passage

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation." Eph 2:14 (NKJV)

Pondering

Today my son, Matthew, had Racial Harmony Day at his kindergarten. This meant that all the kids dressed in their traditional costumes. This is not as easy as you think for us as I am British and my wife is Chinese. This year we chose the British look (whatever that is). In my wife's eyes that meant dressing him up in a tuxedo with a bow tie (like a page boy at a wedding). When he arrived he was upset as most of his friends were wearing Ben 10 T-Shirts and jeans! (Singaporean triditional dress?).

Having lived over 20 years in Singapore I thank God for the comparative tolerance there is between races and religions but am acutely aware that this is a surface tolerance. There is much racial prejudice beneath as can be witnessed behind the scenes with groups of Chinese telling cutting Indian Jokes or the behind the back glance of disapproval from one race to another.

But the good news is that in Christ the wall of racial prejudice is truly torn down and we onre one in Christ, whether British, Chinese, Indian or Malay. I have caught glimpses of this unity in the English service I pastor in our church. We have Chinese and Indian Singaporeans, Japanese, Australians, Pakistanis, South Africans, Malaysians, Indonesians, Filipinos and more all worshipping together as one. This is a beautiful foretaste of the worship in heaven where every tongue tribe and nation will worship together without divisions or prejudice.

Poem

Some wear veils, and some wear hats,
Some love dogs, and some love cats.
Some kids sleep early, some kids sleep late,
Some arrange marriages, other date.

In the natural there's much to divide,
Language, actions and national pride.
But in Christ these walls have been broken down
And we are one, whether Black, white, red, yellow or brown!

Prayer

"Lord forgive me for the times I look down on other races or think badly about certain cultural behaviour. I thankyou for making the human race so diverse and I want to celebrate the differences! Praise You Lord that, though we are so different, You bring us together as one in Christ. Lead me today Lord to bless someone of a dirrerent culture or race to me and to show your love to them. The middle partition of racial pride is truly gone in Christ. Amen!"