“Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.” This seemingly simple thought captures St. Paul’s basic insight — that being the people of God was not a matter of race or birth but due to faith. At this time in our country and throughout the world there are tendencies to drive people apart, to separate instead of unite, to see whole groups as “other.” Those immigrants are different from us. Black folk and white are wary of each other. People from the orient are “inscrutable.” Those kinds of attitudes are directly contrary to Biblical teaching. Everyone is precious in God’s sight and to be faithful to the message of God we must see a family resemblance to Jesus in each individual.
