Nester was one of the best (if not the best) plumber in the small community of Hale Center, Texas. Nester was very well-liked and respected in the small community, and was very conscientious in doing the best job he could when called about a plumbing problem. Being born in Mexico, Nester gained his American citizenship the hard way — he worked for and earned it. Nester never expected a handout from anyone, but worked long (and many times grueling) hours in supporting his wife and six children.
One day, while doing a plumbing job for my grandmother, Nester and my grandmother started talking about the different races and racial issues. My grandmother told Nester that in her mind, a person’s character was far more important than a person’s skin color, and Nester wholeheartedly agreed. Then my grandmother ended the conversation with this very astute observation: “Nester, the only way I’m “better” than you, is if I “do better.”
Dear reader, no matter what the color of our skin, are we “doing better” today than we did yesterday? Are we helping folks along life’s difficult way? (Galations 6:1-5). Do we really care about the well-being of others? (i.e., “does not seek its own” – 1 Corinthians 13:5; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:24; Romans 15:1-2; Philippians 2:1-8; 1 Peter 5:5-6). Are we striving to “live peaceably with all men”? (Romans 12:18).
Beloved, on the Day of Judgment, God will not care what the color of our skin is, but He will greatly care about the condition of our character and heart (1 Samuel 16:6-7; cf. Matthew 25:34-46).
Let us strive to "do better"
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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