A colorblind God

This week the news has been abuzz with a new study, released from Pew Research Center, showing mixed marriages hit an all-time high with a record of 1 in 12 marriages involving couples of different races.

The study, which was released Thursday, shows that 8.4 percent of U.S. marriages are interracial, up from 3.2 percent in the 1980. Out of marriages performed in 2010, 15 percent were interracial. The study relied on U.S. Census data and information from the American Community Surveys taken from 2008 to 2010.

Overall, the public perception of mixed marriages has only grown more positive. About 83 percent of Americans now say they think its "all right" for blacks and whites to date one another; in 1987, only 48 percent of respondents agreed with the idea. Sixty-three percent now say it "would be fine" if a family member married someone from another race, and 61 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said they felt interracial marriages were changing society "for the better." (Twenty-eight percent of respondents age 65 or older agreed.) According to the study, minorities, young adults, college-educated adults, and those who identify as "liberal" were most likely to look at interracial marriage in a positive way.

As I read all the information from the study it was interesting to me. It brought me back to the conversation I had sitting around the table with my extended family over Thanksgiving. I told them that I did not care what ethnicity, nationality, color or race the person was who my children marry, I just wanted my kids to be with someone who loves Jesus.

I believe God is colorblind. We were created in His image, and He knew us even before we were in our mother’s womb. He sees everyone the same. Although this is true with God, society does look at this differently. I think interracial couples face challenges adapting and understanding culture, but at the same time, don’t all couples? Not one family – even those of the equivalent race – is the same.

Many will say the Bible says we should not marry interracially, but if you look closely, you will see God was saying not to marry into other cultures because of their gods. Samson is a great example of this. He picked out Delilah because of her beauty alone and disregarded her beliefs. God does not want us to marry someone who is not a believer. He wants us to be equally yoked. He says this in 2 Corinthians 6:14.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

God’s requirement is that we marry someone who loves and has a personal relationship with Him. I believe that if my children truly seek after God, they will find this person, be it black, yellow, red or blue!

Love You Guys-

Jay