I retired from the United States Navy in 2022 after 23 years of active duty service. I am blessed to have served. It was truly an experience I will never forget. I enjoyed visiting countries all over the world. Got to experience many beautiful places, different cultures, and delicious food. Had great days. Had bad days as well. Learned important lessons about life too. But the one experience I will always be grateful for was the people I met.
They were from different backgrounds and walks of life. Some were smart. Some were cool. Some were interesting. Some were very weird. None of us; however, weren't too interested in how we looked like. We didn't emphasize each other's ethnic or racial features to determine our place in society; nor did we regard ourselves worthy of certain privileges because of it.
Instead, we were more interested in each other's values. Our cultural customs and beliefs. The different food we grew up eating and the music we listened to. These were the differences that brought us together and made us care for each other above from the fact of racial discrimination upon ALL ethnic and racial groups throughout history.
Unfortunately, this isn't the case in most of America today.
I don't deny the sinful nature of the human heart. Look throughout history and you'll see its consequences. America, like every country in history, is not devoid of every conceivable immoral act perpetrated against its people. It is rightfully judged in the eyes of God. As it is every heart that harbors hate toward its neighbor merely based on ethnic and racial features.
Every man, woman, and child was made in the image of God. This image is not based on how we look but on who we are. We judge each other not by our physical attributes but by our actions, which are driven by the state of our minds and the posture of our hearts. The emphasis we are placing on ourselves is in the wrong place and it is dividing us. If it continues, we won't stand a chance when the time comes to unite for something more importantly than the mere tone of our skin.
I love the post and getting us to think. It truly is sad how divided this country is. I guess when you take God out of the equation, that’s what we should have expected. I don’t think it’s going to Get any better but only worse at this point until Jesus comes back for us!