Color should not determine a person's worth

Our nation is in a state of civil unrest as protests continue over the recent death of George Floyd. Emotions are high and rightly so.

I listened to an interview about a black woman telling how she was fearful for the lives of her teenage sons. As she talked about how she'd raised them to always be respectful and obedient, she shared she also taught them what to do just in case they were ever stopped by a policeman while driving. She said she told them to immediately place their hands on the steering wheel at the 10 and 2 position telling them not to speak unless spoken to and not to move. My heart went out to her. I couldn't imagine having to think ahead like that. What a shame...

I can't wrap my head around how their can be such hate just over the color of a person's skin. I was raised to love all people no matter their race. Of course, we saw the color, that couldn't be helped, but it didn't determine whether or not we could love or accept them. People are just people and we all descended from one man, Adam. Just because the color of our skin is different, we are the same. We all bleed red.

It breaks my heart to know black men, women, and children are still struggling with racism in today's world. You'd think it would have gotten better after all these years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, but it hasn't. In fact, I believe it's only gotten worse.

I don't know what to say to my black friends. I want them to know I care but I don't want to sound flippant.

How will we ever remedy the current situation? The Bible tells us we're to love one another as we love ourselves. The only way I see the world changing is for true love to conquer all. And that will take a miracle of epic proportions.

Until things change, we have to do what we can to show others we care. One of the best ways we can do that is to listen, truly listen. We need to hear not only the words being said, but those that remain unsaid and we need to learn to have empathy.

The color of a person's skin should not determine their worth. We are all equal in the eyes of God. Maybe this generation can learn that truth.

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.