Ponchos in the rain...

One of the striking things about going to a Disney theme park is the amount of different colors you see. Oh sure, there are all sorts of colors on the buildings and the foliage in the landscaping. But the colors I am talking about are on the clothes that people wear. Color of clothes mixed in with the color of skin and you get some brilliant combinations showing off the unique properties of fashion, culture and taste.

It started raining yesterday at Hollywood Studios and everyone ran into the plethora of gift shops to buy ponchos. We were no different. There are six of us in our party and we bought four adult ponchos and two children ponchos. Hollywood Studios must have sold 400,000 of them!!!

Within ten minutes of walking out of the store with our "Disney Ponchos" covering our bodies from the thighs on up a fascinating phenomenon appeared.

Everyone was the same color!

No more red shirts, blue T-Shirts, black blouses, flower print midriffs. No more cultural differences in fashion preferences. No more good looking outfits or very distasteful outfits. Everyone looked the same. And in looking the same, everyone lost their identity, their uniqueness, their special imprint on society.

It was an amazing and yet sad sight to see as the rain came pouring down, washing out the very God given identity of each person...

My iWitness...

Each of us has been uniquely crafted and molded and shaped by our creative Creator. He has knit each of us together in our mother's womb. In each of us He created a "one of a kind"! The mold has been broken after each of us is born.

I am the first one to say that we are all equal in God's sight. I am in full agreement that we are to treat people the same, without prejudice or false judgment.

However, we are also called to treat everyone with respect to their color, character and culture. When we see everyone as "the same", we strip people of their uniqueness, their beauty, their God given estate.

Take the ponchos off! Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain. And may the rain of God's grace and mercy wash away the ponchos we have put on people that make them easier to recognize but much harder to know, appreciate, accept and love....

"For you formed my inward parts;
     you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139. 13-14)

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!