While surfing the internet recently, I came across an article titled “All Blue-eyed People on Earth Share the Same Ancestor.” I was curious, so I clicked in to see who this ancestor might be. This is what I read:
“A group of scientists at the University of Copenhagen has determined that all blue-eyed people share one common ancestor from 6,000-10,000 years ago. ‘Originally, we all had brown eyes,’ explains Professor Hans Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. ‘But a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a “switch,” which literally “turned off” the ability to produce brown eyes. While this “switch” does not shut down the gene completely in blue-eyed people, … it does limit the production of melanin in the iris until brown eyes become blue.’
“Professor Eiberg and his team reached this conclusion after comparing the amount of melanin present in brown and green eyes with that in blue eyes. They found that the latter contains only a small amount of variation of melanin. ‘From this, we can conclude that all blue-eyed people are linked to the same ancestor.’ Eiberg continues. ‘They have all inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA.’ This study began in 1996 and was conducted across a large number of blue-eyed individuals in Europe as well as in the Middle East, including Turkey and Jordan.
“Ultimately, this mutation doesn’t appear to affect anything other than the color of one’s eyes.”
Source: mymodernmet.com/are-all-blue-eyed-people-related
Of course, the Bible tells us we all have two ancestors in common—Adam and Noah. We also know from the Bible that our ancestors only go back 6,000 years. Sin, however, has had an effect on the world for these thousands of years, so man traveling throughout the world would have had to adapt to many new things—climate, environmental conditions, etc.
But then I got to thinking. It doesn’t really matter if we all had the same complexion or even the same facial features. It doesn’t matter if we all had the same color hair and eyes at some point in history. And it doesn’t matter that today we have a wide variation in facial features, skin, hair, and eye color.
What matters is what God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness … . So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26, first part, 27
My earthly ancestry may be traced back through Noah to Adam, but through my true ancestry, I am connected all the way back to God. Sin separates me from Him, but I can choose to allow Him to heal me from my sin, and once again restore His image in me. That image reflects the law of God written in my heart, and allows the world to see Jesus through me. My life will be as His was on this earth. My purpose will be to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone I meet, in every way I know how.
“The giving of the gospel to the world is the work that God has committed to those who bear His name. For earth’s sin and misery the gospel is the only antidote. To make known to all mankind the message of the grace of God is the first work of those who know its healing power.” The Ministry of Healing, 141
Lord, make us new, so that we are fit to complete this work in Your name.