If you are wise, you can see the person or atma within the body, and relate to the person, not to his body.
You should not judge a person by his race, weight, height, sex, genes, and so forth.
If you erroneously identify yourself with your body, you will conclude that your existence will end with the destruction of your body. But if you know that you are the eternal self within the body, you know that your existence will not end when your body dies.
A person who understands that (1) one day the body will cease existing, and that (2) he himself will not cease existing, naturally becomes less interested in material gain and material pursuits (which he knows will be taken away one day) and becomes more interested in making spiritual advancement—advancement in wisdom, love, and compassion.
~ Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa (Chris Butler)