"I think God is light blue and white because I think he watches us from the clouds," says Brittany, age 9.
Oh, I see. God is the ultimate camouflage artist. He blends in with his abode.
Patrick, 8, says gray because "God is very powerful." Perhaps Patrick has seen lightning and heard thunder from dark gray clouds.
Zack, 8, tells us to not just look at the sky: "God is green and blue because the Earth is green and blue."
"God is white because I see him on TV," says Weston, 8. What channel are you watching?
"I always thought God was tan like my skin color," says Chris, 10. "I don't know why, but I guess it's just because my skin color is tan."
Chris, I appreciate your honesty. It's a natural inclination for us to create God in our own image. Instead of reading the Bible and asking God to reveal himself, it's easy to assume God is just like us.
"I think God is gold because he shines over us, and he helps us be kind and merciful to others," says Lindsay, 7. Gold is also the choice of Lauren, 7, but for a different reason: "Because the streets of heaven are gold."
Justin, 8, tells us the meaning he sees behind the gold: "I think God is a gold color because he shines like gold. I think God is so beautiful and his son Jesus is beautiful, too!"
What would you think of someone who rented a safe deposit box to store asphalt? If people sought God with the same zeal they seek and hoard gold, their lives would change radically. That's exactly what Jesus proposed when he said we should seek the kingdom of God first, and let him fill in the details of your life on Earth. Live as an ambassador of heaven visiting a foreign country.
The eternal city doesn't need the sun, moon or electricity because "the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light" (Revelation 21:23). Whenever people place their faith in Jesus alone as their Savior, the population of this eternal city increases.
"God is a rainbow color because he loves all people," says Hunter, 7. When you stand before God's throne, Hunter, you'll see a rainbow surrounding it (Revelation 4:3).
"I think God is all colors because all the people of the world are different colors," says Jane, 10. "God could be black, white, peach and maybe light brown. He is God, so he can choose."
Try multicolored, says Carter, 11: "I don't think God is any certain race or color. I think God has a little bit of every color in him because he loves us all the same."
Nina, 9, answers the question this way: "People saw a bright light when Jesus came." Hunter, Jane, Carter and Nina are on the same trail because pure light contains all the colors of the rainbow.
The apostle Matthew referred to Jesus when he quoted the prophet Isaiah: "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light" (Matthew 4:16a). Jesus himself said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).
Dave, 9, takes issue with all opinions about God's color: "God is not a color. God is spirit."
But Taylor, 10, says, "God is every color because he is a spirit, and he changes colors."
Finally, Austin, 10, says: "God doesn't have a color. He is so glorious, he doesn't need one. When we go to heaven, we won't care what color he is."
Austin, you have a kindred spirit in author C.S. Lewis, who said that all our questions will seem shortsighted and small during the first moment in heaven. All questions will be eclipsed by an overwhelming vision of God's infinite glory.
Give a gift email subscription to the Kids Talk About God column to a friend by clicking on the Samson icon at Kids Talk About God. Ask about placing our logo click through on your website so the families of your church can receive the column at column@kidstalkaboutgod.org. Bible quotations are from the New King James Version.
Copyright © 2003. Carey Kinsolving