Dear Friend,
The American public has recently developed a serious vision problem. Or, more accurately, an optical disease. We no longer see people clearly, as individuals, but only blurred by their race or other demographic category. And this malady is growing worse daily, and spreading to other nations. We are now suffering a full-blown pandemic of blurred vision that has left us confused, misjudging others, angry, and increasingly divided.
I'm no optometrist, mind you, but I believe I've discovered an amazing new product that can, if used willingly, heal our skewed sight. It is an amazing brand of glasses - colorblind glasses! They're not new, but rather ancient, 2,000 years old! Millions have worn them in centuries past but, for some reason, they've fallen into disuse of late. And here's some good news: they don't even cost us anything. They're free for all who are willing to use them.
These amazing spectacles are manufactured by God's love, financed by Jesus' blood, designed by His Spirit's wisdom, molded by His grace, focused by His righteousness, and hand-crafted by Jesus. And the feedback users are giving is amazing. These glasses will permanently change our viewpoint! How do they work?
When you put them on, inexplicably, these words appear over the top of whoever you see: "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). And, suddenly, you realize something else distinctly different. All color has been removed from the people at whom you're looking. Try as you may, you can't detect their skin pigmentation - white, black, brown, yellow, or red - only a new neutral color so marvelous I can't describe it. You must see it for yourself. As long as you wear these miracle glasses, color is eliminated as a factor in how you think and interact with every person you see. Ethnicity, nationality, occupation, profession, and socio-economic standing also become indiscernible. You just see . . . people!
The apostle Peter was the first to don these supernatural specs. When he used them to look at Cornelius, a Gentile, miraculously he did not see a Gentile, but only a man (see Acts 10). A man whose problem was not his skin but his sin. A man in need of salvation. A man God loved - just as much as He loved Peter. A man for whom Jesus died. A man the Holy Spirit wanted to redeem, indwell, and transform. And a man he, Peter, was divinely sent to, not to pre-judge, but to befriend and minister to with the mind of Christ. The result?
Surprisingly, Peter had no problem at all with Cornelius. The two got along quite well and thereafter became fast friends. Nothing was said about their race. Or their national affiliation. Or their occupations. Or their socio-economic standing. Amazing!
Earlier, Philip had also wore these grace glasses when ministering to the Samaritans, whom many Jews considered half-breeds (of mixed Jewish-Gentile ancestry), and with whom they had had violent confrontations in recent years, and whom most Jews still hated bitterly! But when Philip arrived in Samaria, something odd but wonderful happened. His glasses simply did not register the locals' racial or other differences. Philip just saw them as people needing Christ. Consequently, he preached Christ and ministered His healing to them freely, fully, fruitfully, and famously. The result?
The unthinkable. The unpredictable. The impossible! The whole city of Samaria, and everyone in it, turned miraculously and joyously to the One who crafted Philip's glasses. Wow! What a product! I wonder what might result if the American church began using these glasses? Not the whole nation, just yet, but just Christians?
Now, I hope you're getting excited, but don't visit our website (greghinnantministries.org), because our supply of these grace glasses is sold out. I recommend you go directly to the Source. Call His number (1-800-NEED-JESUS); or, if that's busy, His alternate line (1-800-GOD'S-GRACE). When you make contact, to obtain your pair of colorblind glasses, I suggest the following.
Confess you are a sinner, but you're willing to give up sin. Tell Christ you believe He died for your sins on Calvary's cross and rose for your justification the third day. Ask Jesus to come into your heart now, just where you are. Believe you receive Him now. Then, for crystal-clear people vision, confess any prejudice you have had and repent of it. Express your willingness to change, and see all men and women alike before God and in equal need of His saving grace, because "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Okay, that's it for now. You've just placed your order.
When your new spectacles arrive, you'll find they will need a little adjusting. They work best when you remember your own faults and sins, and how you've felt when others misjudged you by your color (including whiteness), or nationality, or occupation, or socio-economic standing, instead of your character. Or, when they saw you only as a demographic category and not an individual. Daily prayer to the loving Craftsman and regular soaking in His beautifully unbiased Word-thoughts and life acts will make your new colorblind vision even sharper. Oh, there's one more thing.
Spread the news about these colorblind glasses. And don't fret if others refuse to use them. Use them yourself. And pray daily for everyone who still suffers from this dreadful disease and its blurred vision, confusion, anger, and division. Not only in America, but in all nations. Who knows, these grace glasses may become the new fashion!
Seeing clearly, by grace,
Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries