All Lives Matter to God

Richard Hollerman

We know that there has been much “fuss” about “black lives matter” and what this means in the United States of America. We don’t think that this has been a major “problem” in other countries but we must admit that we don’t know. But we do know that in America, beginning a few years ago, this has been a major theme! People have been killed because of it; stores have been robbed so that some people can “make a point,” and in both educational settings and entertainment venues, “black lives matter” has been the theme.

In America, where some 12 percent of the population is “black” we find that the theme of “black lives matter” is prominent. We don’t know who first coined this phrase but over the last few years it has been the cause of much disruption, rioting, stealing (“looting”), and murder. How sad!

In God’s Sight, “all lives” matter. Whereas most of those who use this phrase are lost, God wants all to be saved, redeemed, and reconciled to Him. We refer to blacks and all others. When I was a child, a little song that we sang puts it this way:

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

Maybe you have heard, read, or sung these lyrics yourself! We did change this to read, “Red and yellow, black, brown, and white.! I suppose that we were trying to include all—all of the children of the world.

But we need to remember that God loves everyone! Thus we could sing this with meaning. In America, whether there are 12 percent of adults and children, or 2 percent, or 80 percent—the fact remains that God loves everyone. We don’t know what it might have been like at the time of Noah, about 2350 BC, but let’s remember that God is Creator (Genesis 1) and He has made all of us—whatever the color of one’s skin, place of origin, ethnic background, or gender.

The only thing that God sees (at least since the gospel went out 2,000 years ago, at the time of Christ) is whether a person knows Him or not. God has said this in His Word: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:27-28). Another passage says: “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Since Christ came and people have come to God through Him, we read: “There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Sythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).

God freely accepts all—red and yellow, black and white, and brown—God accepts all! There, of course, is one caveat and that is that God accepts all who have come to Him through Christ! He loves all without distinction but He only accepts those who know Him!

Thus, we must say that those who would parrot the phrase, “all lives matter,” must go further and emphasize that all lives matter to God! Color doesn’t mean anything. As someone has said, “God is color-blind!” Although this may be somewhat misleading, we understand what is being said. And it is good.

We know that in the past, some would say, “Black is beautiful.” It may be that inferior-feeling people may say this, but in reality, God made all and all people are “beautiful” in one respect. Yes, we know that some people do have birth defects, others are disfigured, still others are either old or young, and still others are naturally “unattractive” in some way. But God loves all. Scripture says that God “made from one every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). Somehow, we need to accept our Maker’s decisions and will and go on with a faith in Him and His ways.

Won’t you come to God today—whoever you are, wherever you may be from, and whatever your color. Yes, God “loves” the black and He loves all! We know that there are a lot of blacks who seek to change their color and become more “white” in some way. You can go to the store and find “whitening” preparations and a hair stylist can “straighten” kinky hair. But isn’t this in some way denying the way that God has made you.

I recall that my father was speaking to a “black” man (maybe a preacher) once and he told Dad: “Look at my black shoe. That is ‘black.’ Then look at this piece of paper—‘that is white.’ We both are in-between!”

We can see what he was saying. Very few people are really black—perhaps a few in Africa or Australia. And very few are white—perhaps an albino person. We are all in-between, depending on the amount of melanin in our skin. Let’s trust in God and go on, seeking to love and serve Him, seeking to reach out to all who don’t know Him, and find our fulfillment in Him—and not in our color!