Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow
Black and white
They are precious in his sight
Jesus loves the little children
Of the world
These are the lyrics of one of the earliest songs I remember learning as a child growing up in a conservative Christian Southern Baptist home. As I hear the disparagement by the press accusing conservative Christians of being sexist, homophobic, sanctimonious bigots, I think how different that stereotype is from the reality of true Christianity.
As the lyrics of that simple children’s hymn can attest, we were taught early on that people of all colors were children of God and loved equally. Prejudice was not a part of the lives of my parents, grandparents, friends, or acquaintances.
One of the best teachers I had going through school was a lesbian. She lived with another female teacher and it was assumed they were a couple. The situation was not discussed at length if at all. Parents did not boycott her class or treat her differently from any other teacher. She did not march the streets announcing her sexual preferences. What happened in the privacy of her home stayed there. I will remember her only as an excellent teacher.
Sexism was also not a part of my life. Men and women in my family are treated equally. Both are expected to graduate from high school and pursue a higher education. The women in my family have careers, hunt, and ranch alongside the men. The men cook, wash dishes, do laundry, and help care for children.
We were not taught in my home that, as Christians, we were better than others. Rather, we were taught that everyone is a sinner and falls short of the glory of God. My family is not perfect. My parents were divorced, and my father was a raging alcoholic. We spend our lives struggling to be worthy of the maker, not because he is a harsh and unloving God, but because, as our heavenly father, he loves us and we want to please him.
