Last week was a memorable week but sadly not in a positive way. While the word “prejudice” continues to be tossed about in relation to race and skin color, I began to ponder what else we are all guilty of being “prejudiced” about.
My husband grew up in a denomination where he was a bit “prejudiced” against other denominations and one in particular. I grew up in a denomination learning that my denomination was the only one that mattered. How many of you learned that as well?
As we have traveled through different “cultures” in different parts of this country, we are seeing people (who are well acclimated into their own “culture,”) treat people from other “cultures” quite differently. There are definitely pockets of people in this country who don’t welcome outsiders with open arms.
Pre-judging has become a right of passage for everyone in this country. Whether you have the right clothing, car or house, will be enough for others to immediately assess your “worth.” Is that worth fighting for?
But it really goes beyond that….
For those of us who truly want to take care of our health and we spend extra time and resources to ensure the food we eat is clean and nourishing, how many of us, when we learn of one of our friends, acquaintances, or even loved ones who has been diagnosed with some illness or disease, will say, “I fully expected that would happen to him, he never did learn to eat properly.” Or, “She was quite heavy so this is what happens when you are overweight.”?
While the thought of losing one’s life due to other people’s prejudice is appalling and incomprehensible in today’s world where technology has made everyone neighbors, we must also see that our views of other people’s choices of lifestyle, foods, housing, even down to the tattoos and piercings, all create an opportunity for us to pre-judge them because they are different than we are. In other words, we are no different than the one who pulled the trigger! Satan has used anything and everything to create division.
So, the next time you meet someone who has the color of the rainbow for their hair, check yourself before you create any conclusions. You see, Standard American Diet eaters truly do think that people who eat mostly raw vegetables just do that because they love animals more than people. I can easily see why they would come to that conclusion. But, in my case that is so far from the truth, it is laughable. I don’t even own an animal (pet), and I still wear leather shoes. But, they don’t know that.
Instead of getting ourselves wrapped up in their differences, we must learn to embrace everyone with the same unconditional love that Jesus had when he died on the cross for every church denomination, every race, every gender, every hair color and yes, even those who eat meat, soda pop and processed foods.
