Last week, Crayola introduced “Colors of the World: 24 Multicultural Crayons,” a compilation of crayons that allow children to easily access colors better representing their unique skin tones. When the announcement came across my social media newsfeed, I was happy yet surprised that such a set had not yet been produced. After all, decades ago I enjoyed what then seemed like a vast array of waxy goodness in the sixty-four pack--with a sharpener! When it comes down to it, one reason I preferred the sixty-four pack was because anything less didn’t allow me to come even close to approximating the wide variety of colors I saw in the world around me.
Curious, I set about to do some research. Apparently, Crayola had a “flesh” color that was renamed in 1962--these days this color goes by the name “peach.” I’ll give you one guess as to what race that initial “flesh” crayon represented. Then later, in 1992, a set of 8 was compiled: the “My World Colors” was created from pre-existing crayons. While helpful, the colors were still somewhat limited with regard to flesh tones.
To be fair, I’m not singling out Crayola brand. Other childhood toy and creative media companies have gone through similar processes when it comes to better reflecting the world around them. But what we should really ask ourselves is this (and I’m not trying to be obtuse): Why was there ever just one color labeled as “flesh” to begin with? Why did it take nearly six decades after dropping “flesh” to compile a set of crayons that properly reflected multiracial hues?
If we as a society are still trying to get our toys and creative pursuits to better reflect the diverse races and ethnicities that are among us, how much longer will it be before our actions in more serious matters follow suit? How much longer will it take before we stop seeing headlines that reflect racist, sinful hearts of humanity?
Changing policies and products is a necessary and important step, but hearts must change to truly stop racism at its core.
Let’s take a look at the root of the problem. Remember the word “flesh?” In Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV), God tells Israel, “‘And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.’” Our heart must be made right first.
We must remember God created us all in his image: Genesis 1:27 (ESV) “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
We must acknowledge that Christ died and rose again for our salvation: John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
This verse in Colossians gives us more insight on how we are to regard others: Colossians 3:11 (ESV) “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
And we are called to carry the gospel of salvation to all nations: Matthew 28:19 (ESV) “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
We must heed this warning, and remember to love others: I John 2:9 (ESV) “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.”
And finally, we can take a look at end-times prophecy to get a picture of the beauty that lies before us in Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV): “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Curious, I set about to do some research. Apparently, Crayola had a “flesh” color that was renamed in 1962--these days this color goes by the name “peach.” I’ll give you one guess as to what race that initial “flesh” crayon represented. Then later, in 1992, a set of 8 was compiled: the “My World Colors” was created from pre-existing crayons. While helpful, the colors were still somewhat limited with regard to flesh tones.
To be fair, I’m not singling out Crayola brand. Other childhood toy and creative media companies have gone through similar processes when it comes to better reflecting the world around them. But what we should really ask ourselves is this (and I’m not trying to be obtuse): Why was there ever just one color labeled as “flesh” to begin with? Why did it take nearly six decades after dropping “flesh” to compile a set of crayons that properly reflected multiracial hues?
If we as a society are still trying to get our toys and creative pursuits to better reflect the diverse races and ethnicities that are among us, how much longer will it be before our actions in more serious matters follow suit? How much longer will it take before we stop seeing headlines that reflect racist, sinful hearts of humanity?
Changing policies and products is a necessary and important step, but hearts must change to truly stop racism at its core.
Let’s take a look at the root of the problem. Remember the word “flesh?” In Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV), God tells Israel, “‘And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.’” Our heart must be made right first.
We must remember God created us all in his image: Genesis 1:27 (ESV) “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
We must acknowledge that Christ died and rose again for our salvation: John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
This verse in Colossians gives us more insight on how we are to regard others: Colossians 3:11 (ESV) “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
And we are called to carry the gospel of salvation to all nations: Matthew 28:19 (ESV) “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
We must heed this warning, and remember to love others: I John 2:9 (ESV) “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.”
And finally, we can take a look at end-times prophecy to get a picture of the beauty that lies before us in Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV): “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”