Recently, I put on my sunglasses as I drove on a sunny day.

Hours later, I noticed the sky darkening.

I feared rain was on the way. I hated the idea of rain spoiling my day.

But then, I remembered. I was wearing sunglasses!

As soon as I took off my sunglasses, the “rain clouds” disappeared. My unfounded fear and hatred disappeared, too.

It struck me that this is how the remnants of racism deceive us.

Fortunately, few of us in the United States today are intentionally racist.

We would never wave a Nazi flag, dress in hooded white robes to burn crosses, or put a sign in the window of our business saying “No Irish Need Apply”.

For most of us, the problem of prejudices is more subtle and nuanced—like seeing people dimly through tinted sunglasses.

What tints our “sunglasses”?

Stains left from history, culture, ignorance, propaganda, and politics.

Stains left from the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of this World.

Furthermore, this “sunglasses” problem doesn’t affect only white people looking at people of color.

This “sunglasses” problem affects people of color looking at whites and at people of different colors.

This “sunglasses” problem affects people looking at people of different genders.

This “sunglasses” problem affects people looking at people of different nations.

This “sunglasses” problem affects people looking at people of different cultures.

This “sunglasses” problem affects people looking at people of different religions.

This “sunglasses” problem affects people looking at people of different social & economic classes.

Only when we take off our “sunglasses” of prejudices can we stop seeing “in a mirror dimly”. (1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV).

Only when we take off our “sunglasses” of prejudices will our unfounded fears and hatreds disappear.

Only when we take off our “sunglasses” of prejudices can we see that each person is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)—no matter how dimly they may reflect the image of God’s compassion, amazing grace, patience, love, faithfulness, and forgiveness. (Exodus 34:6).

Fortunately, when we clothe ourselves with the compassion, amazing grace, patience, love, faithfulness, and forgiveness of Christ Jesus, we can take off our “sunglasses” of prejudices.

Then—as the Apostle Paul learned—we can see, perceive and understand that “[t]here is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female” for those who “are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28; Isaiah 6:8-10).

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For additional thoughts about prejudices, please read my blogs “Parking Cars”, “Speaking Up”, “Racism Is America Gone Astray”, “The 500-Year Marathon To Overcome Racism”, “Hypocrisy:  Taking Away What You Gave”, and “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”.