What is the one thing that most gardeners strive for? Color! My friend Connie has a “white garden,” and it is stunning. Other friends make good use of white flowers in a “moon garden,” which is designed to show up at night. But let’s face it, most of us prefer lots of color diversity in the landscape.
One key element of garden design is to bring colors and shapes and textures of different plant types together in a pleasing vignette of unified accord. Tall and short, lacy plants near the broad-leaved specimens, vertical and horizontal lines; colors that contrast or complement one another, all the varying types are wonderful tools to create a masterpiece. This visual concert is one of the greatest goals of the artistic gardener!
Why is it then that we cannot do the same with people? “How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1, NASB). It is artistry in society; a goal to aim for and an accomplishment to admire.
Just as the garden is better when the differing components complement each other, it is normal and natural for people of varying socio-economic, racial, and educational backgrounds to interact well. When that doesn’t happen — well, it’s just ugly.
Preachers get fired for baptizing someone of a different ethnicity, or let go for adopting a minority baby. VBS becomes a place to grumble because the neighborhood kids were invited; although the neighborhood has changed and become less monochromatic. Now THESE things are hideously ugly! They can’t hide the ugliness by saying, “This is the way we do things here.”
Then there are the quieter ways of keeping our prejudices, similar to the gardener that plants all the lilies in one place, all the iris in another, and so on. Those ways might be less ugly than full-on hatred, but insidious as well. When people are described first by color (only when different from the “norm,” of course), it could be quiet racism.
The godly mind looks at the heart, not the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). Why is it that we say, “The black doctor,” or “the older white lady,” when there are other differentiating factors? It is because we have not trained our minds to see people as God sees. We see color first, or age, or gender.
When our stereotypes are stronger than our own experiences with people who are different, we are as foolish as the people with boring gardens separated by plant type. No; they are much more foolish. You can’t hurt a marigold’s feelings.
Some unkempt yards might have outright hideous patches where garbage is strewn and weeds are rampant. This corresponds to the hate-filled environment that actively shuts out those of differing racial, socio-economic, or age groups — among other prejudices. I don’t have much interaction with people who display such ugliness, and it shocks me every time I do encounter it. How much more does it disgust the Creator who made all kinds of people in his image?
Let us make our best effort to incorporate all of God’s people into one beautiful church. The differences will be there, and evident. But the effect will be as stunningly beautiful as a garden full of interesting and diverse plants and flowers.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight.
Arrange your life with a little color!
by Christine Berglund
***New “Deeper Study” post – Accepting God’s Grace – by Beth Johnson