Do you remember the song, Jesus Loves the Little Children, written by C. Herbert Woolston? Even if you don’t know all the stanzas, you probably remember the refrain:

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

While Jesus does, indeed, love all children regardless of ethnicity, the problem of discrimination and inequality continues to taint our culture. Which brings us to the federal holiday we will celebrate next week.

January 20, 2020 is the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Why is this day a holiday? Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He was both a pastor and a director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Sadly, he was assassinated in 1968 for inspiring our nation to persevere in opposing racial inequality. For exhorting us to love all people: red and yellow, black, and white.

The irony in these continuing discussions of racial reconciliation is that every conversation begins with an inaccuracy. How can we reconcile the races when only one race exists: the human race. We have a variety of ethnic groups, tribal identities, skin colors, and national affiliations, but only one race.

And the Bible tells us that in the eyes of our heavenly Father, everyone within this single human race who comes to Him through faith in Jesus Christ receives the right to become His child (John 1:12).

Someday, all His children will be worshiping around His throne, a diversity representing the creativity of our wonderful God:

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God   persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

~ Revelation 5:9-12 (NIV)

Physical characteristics that divide us on earth will enhance the mosaic of praise before God’s throne. Until then, let’s remember Jesus does, indeed, love all God’s children. And let’s be intentional about practicing that love today.