In the 1800’s, an extended family in Appalachia—known  as the “Blue people of Kentucky”—had some members with distinctly blue skin. A recessive gene gave them deficiency of the enzyme diaphorase resulting in lower levels of oxygen in red blood cells. Reduced oxygen also makes most people’s veins appear blue. Lack of transportation infrastructure resulted in a limited gene pool ensuring the condition was passed to Blues’ descendants well into the twentieth century.
 
I recently read a novel, The Last Blue, by Isla Morley which includes blue skin people. The engaging story illustrates stigma and prejudice people can suffer for being different by no fault of their own. More importantly, characters contrast those who find purpose in loving others versus those who find purpose in having an enemy to persecute.
 
When encountering those who seem to seek enemies to give their lives purpose,  we must be careful of our reaction lest we become like them.
 
Drew