Love Knows No Color

(My two youngest sons… brothers)

“What color is your skin?” I asked Elijah one evening before bed. He squealed with excitement, did one somersault, plopped into bed and held out his arms. It had been a long day of discipline and correction and I longed to connect with his heart.

“Brown,” he replied with a giggle.

“What color is Abby’s skin?”

“Tan,” he replied.

“What color is Mommy’s skin?

“White.” with another giggle.

“Why is Mommy’s skin white and yours is brown?” I probed.

“Because you’re my mommy and I love you” he answered.

His words echoed deep and true inside of me.

“Because you’re my mommy and I love you.”

Love knows no color. Love stretches beyond blood. Love breaks down barriers and brings healing and wholeness to areas where the enemy intended to destroy and devour. Love, in an instant, breathes hope into a hopeless situation. Hope produces change.

“This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5

One brisk January morning about four years ago this love became tangible to our family.

It was early morning. I sat and looked out the window of our brand new van, wondering if we made the right decision. So many questions arose in my mind.

Would my love for him be same as our three biological children? What if it wasn’t the same? Would all be lost, if the call to adoption wasn’t enough? Would I drown under the weight of his medical needs? Was I getting in over my head? Would I be able to love a child, with a mother’s love, who didn’t share the same skin color or blood line?

These questions and many more whirled around in my mind, as we drove the winding  roads of Maryland that early January morning.

Actually, the voice of the accuser continued to whisper questions at such a rapid speed that I felt sick to my stomach.

All voices from the accuser were silenced when Love rushed in.

The moment that brown baby boy with tight, curly dark hair was placed in my arms a love so great and abundant showed itself; a love which could restore, purify, and make whole. It was invited in by a tiny brown baby boy that needed a family to love him regardless of color or if he could ever return this love.

The heart of a willing mother immersed herself in Love, in order to love beyond color and race. In a moment all my questions were answered with one word…Love.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” Galatians 5:22.

The Greek word for love in this verse is agape.

“Agape is the highest form of love, with no strings attached. It isn’t looking for what it can get, but what it can give. This is the profound love God has for the human race, for He loved man when he was still lost in sin with no ability to love Him back. God simply loved mankind without any thought or expectations of receiving love in return.” Rick Renner from Sparkling Gems

There is no difference between this brown baby boy and his two brothers and sister who were birthed from my body. This agape love knit our family together, just as the Lord had intended before the foundation of the world.

Through the power of adaption, I was able to get a glimpse of the Father’s love for his children.

God whispers to each and everyone of us, “You are mine. Don’t listen to what the world says. I have an eternal family for you that will place identity and purpose on your life.”

Agape love is unfailing, never ending. It’s there when you’re hurting. It’s there when you feel all alone and you are gasping for air. It’s there when you have fallen from grace. It’s there in the pain. It’s there through the disappointment. It holds you together when all else has failed. It’s there waiting, as you turn your back searching for love elsewhere. It picks you up when the shame and guilt is too much to bear. It’s in your future. It’s in your past. It surrounds you. It’s all around you. It died for you.

“In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propititaion (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 

God is calling women of all shapes and sizes, all colors and nationalities to engage themselves in His love. This agape love will not disappoint. In fact, God has this divine ability to satisfy us with even more hunger. It is up to us to deny our flesh and draw from the unending well of love He provides through the Spirit.

“No man has at any time seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!” 1 John 4:12 AMP

Drinking from His well allows us to choose to love one another, regardless of color, domination, political party, or any differences, with agape (selfless perfect) love. God draws near and allows His perfect to complete us.

When we immerse ourselves in His love, we are then able to love others with His perfect love.