I come from a family of many colors. On my mother’s side, we are Native American. That rich, red blood, mixed with a wonderful variety of shades of white, provides for some beautiful skin tones ranging the spectrum from white to just left of black (that means not quite black for those of you struggling with the color spectrum). So you get caramel…oooh, chocolate…yummy, a few pieces of divinity (the candy not the Creator)…mmm, and a couple of espresso lights thrown in there just for fun. My mamaw was a half-blood Choctaw, and she married a white man, my papaw. Somehow the dark skin she had was passed down to every-other-child she bore. My mother, was one of the “others” instead of one of the “everys”. She did not bare her mother’s color. She did, however, carry the prominent bone structure, brown eyes, and brown hair. My sister and I were always jealous of some of our cousins ability to turn deep brown in the summer time. While we did get our own wonderful tans, it was never as dark as we wanted.
When it came time for me to have my own children, it never crossed my mind that they wouldn’t look like me or have my skin color. Of the three, none bare the mark of my Native American heritage. They are all pale-faced, blue-eyed, blonde or red headed. They can’t tan even when they’ve paid for it! I had never even seen a “white” baby in my family. I can’t tell you how odd this was for me. They are all absolutely beautiful and I love them madly, but…they aren’t the same color and they don’t look like me! I am very happy for my husband that he has left such a mark on them, but where is my mark?
I know that’s what God says about some of His own children. Where is MY mark? Now God made us all different. He likes the color spectrum. He made it. I mean, imagine what Heaven will look like? Surely, Christians don’t think it will be full of nothing but white people and one Jew. I don’t think so. It’ll be a lot closer to one of my family reunions. Every color of skin, hair, and eyes will be on display. What a glorious sight! But while we inhabit the earth, the children of God should bare His mark. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, Philippians 2:15. We MUST look different from those around us. If you bare the mark of the Almighty, you are called to look like Him. Christians cannot carry the world all around us and keep His spirit locked deep down inside. We live in this world, but we are not of this world (John 17). If you are living a life like that…stop. Stop now. You are stealing your own joy, and you will cause yourself to suffer. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 John 2:28-29
Please don’t confuse righteousness with self-righteousness. They are not the same. Don’t think that as a Christian you are perfect either. The truth is, that from the moment you are saved, you are locked in a battle with Satan. You will fight every day to be who God chose you to be. There are no time-outs, half-times, or vacations from this war. You will not be able to negotiate a Cease-Fire. Satan wants you, and he knows he can’t have you. So he will do everything in his power to keep you from fulfilling your true destiny. He knows that this life is the only Hell you’ll ever suffer, so he’s gonna do his best to see that you do. Don’t make it easy for him. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, Ephesians 6:11-18.
Don’t make God wonder where His mark is on you. Let His Spirit be your guide. Let the world know that you are different. As for my mark on my own children, I know…it’s on the inside. It comes out in their laugh. I see it in their facial expressions. Sometimes it takes me back just a little when I recognize it in their personalities. I am lucky enough to have a few nieces that actually do look like me physically and even have my personality as well. It’s always a joy to be around them. I have left a forever imprint upon them all whether it be inside or out. God has left His mark on me. I pray I live a life that shows it.
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