Counsels on Social Issues

Counsel #18 — Beyond the Labels

Picture: Counsel #18 — Beyond the Labels CSI 36.1

Do you ever feel like the world is treating you differently because of how you look? For many people, that’s not just a feeling - it’s a daily reality. When you’re young and still figuring out who you are, being judged by your skin color hits differently. Instead of building confidence, you start second-guessing where you belong, if you’re enough, or if you’ll ever be seen outside of your appearance. CSI 36.2

Over time, those outside judgments can start shaping your inside thoughts, making it harder to trust your voice, your dreams, and even your own worth. That pain is called racial trauma. It’s the deep psychological and emotional impact caused by facing racism, whether through major injustices like discrimination or repeated, subtle insults called microaggressions.^[75] Although we can’t change what other people think of us, we can choose to believe what God says about us, which is that you are loved, valuable, strong, beautiful, and set apart for a special purpose. Life is never about what the world thinks, but about who God created you to be—just as you are! CSI 36.3

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalms 139:13 NIV CSI 36.4

“The religion of the Bible recognizes no caste or color.” Ellen White in Counsels on Social Issues, p. 20 CSI 36.5

Reflect: Do you truly believe you are fearfully and wonderfully made? CSI 36.6