Riverside, Calif. (March 7, 2018) – The devil wants to divide people using racial differences and tensions, but God desires Christians to love all people, Miles McPherson told a chapel audience at California Baptist University on March 6.

“The devil has caused us to be divided and to look at each other with hate and suspicion, but the love of God can unite us together,” McPherson said.  

McPherson, a former NFL player with the San Diego Chargers, now is the pastor of Rock Church in San Diego. He expounded on Jesus’ commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39, NASB).

“God made all the shades in this room for His glory,” McPherson said. “The Spirit of God wants to make a mosaic of colors and shades.”

McPherson explained that people tend to associate with others based on similarities, such as race, gender or a common interest.  When individuals are more comfortable, they tend to be more patient, give the benefit of the doubt more and are more willing to help those in their in-group.

McPherson encouraged students to be aware of in-group bias that can emerge and instead focus on what the Spirit is prompting in any given situation. 

“Pay attention when you’re in a room and how you are extending in-group bias or in-group love to the people who are not like you,” McPherson said. “Let the Holy Spirit reveal to you that you give in-group love to everybody in your world.”

McPherson urged his audience to bring unity to the country.

“I want to challenge you to see the color, the ethnicity that God gave every single person for His glory and honor it and respect it and acknowledge it,” McPherson said.