Coloring Eggs

When it comes to racial issues, it would be a beautiful thing if we were all color blind. I'm certain that, at least from a relational standpoint, God surely is. However, regardless of race or color, most of us have been raised with a host of inappropriate preconceptions. The bible says that we were created in the image of God. Since we all look different that image, therefore, must not be based on our exterior appearance, but on the more inherent "inner" traits of man. That image is a heart, a soul, a relational image. Even our founding fathers, in their infinite wisdom, (and in spite of the fact that many were slave owners) built out nation on the concept that "all men are created equal." Most importantly, Jesus made God's love and intentions clear by dying for the sins of every person, based only on faith and no other social, political or racial qualifications. With this rich heritage of religious and conventional wisdom, with so much education and training, how then do we still find so much ignorance and malice in the world. Sadly, we teach it to our children ... just as our own parents taught it to us. Many of us have children and may well end up coloring some eggs during the next few days. I take the liberty, therefore, of twisting a holiday tradition in order for us to benefit from a little continuing education. To that end, I offer the following poem in hopes that you will share it during the next few days, and maybe even give it a try with your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, neighbors, or whoever you've got around.

Coloring Eggs
It was a sobering occasion
when my nephew wandered in
With some racial observations
on the color of our skin
Wanting answers for the first time
regarding nationality
And the myriad of people
who were not the same as he
When I explained it didn't matter
and that folks are all the same
He didn't buy it for a moment
yet he was not to blame
For his powers of observation
were surely keen enough to see
How racial lines divide our world
and have through history
He had learned to hate and fear and judge
just like the rest of us
Mostly from the very folks who
should have fostered love and trust
Yet, no matter how we teach them
we still wake one day to find
That our children grow up just like us
they are not color blind
I took him to the kitchen
we put some eggs into a pan
I turned on the stove to boil them
and carry out my plan
I had a box of Easter dye
which we mixed and had in place
And once the eggs were done and cooled
on each we drew a face
We placed them in the colored dyes
two dozen eggs we made
In every color of the rainbow
and each a different shade
I let them dry and lined them up
we looked at them a while
"Now the real fun begins,"
I told him with a smile
We cracked the eggs and peeled them
and lined them up again
I discarded all the colored shells
we learned our lesson then
When suddenly he sat up straight
and his eyes flew open wide
He understood, and so proclaimed
"They're all the same inside!"
By Frank Carpenter ©