Have you ever noticed "them"?
You know the ones. The other ones. Those who don't match up with our requirements for inclusion. They don't fit in. Do you know who I am talking about yet? Them. The others. The ones that look different. They talk funny; remember? They go to the wrong church on top of all that. These are just a sampling of the ways we commonly refer to others of our world as "them." I don't mean to upset the apple cart, but there is no "them."
I do mean to say that I have been looking out at the world from behind these eyes for over 45 years, and I have come to realize that we are all truly equal. It doesn't matter what our skin color is or where we live. It makes no difference how we vote or whom we worship. We are all included by design. It was never intended to be any other way. Any attempt to exclude any one for any reason by any group, establishment, church, or whatever is unacceptable and is not the way of Christ.
All it really took for me to recognize this eternal truth was to place myself in the other person's shoes and really look at how they might feel under my form of judgement. I didn't have to walk around in the other person's shoes. You certainly don't have to literally be in their shoes -- especially if you have a foot issue. Just forget the shoe thing -- Think. About. It.
Think about how the other person feels about themselves and the world. You may not be able to. That should serve as a reminder that we can't really know how anyone feels. Just imagine how the way you choose to treat them will impact them. If after doing so, you can still argue for the justification for casting judgement on them, then e-mail me and let's debate it. :O
Just think about the fact that the other person has experiences that helped form them into who they are. Do you have fears in some area? I'll bet you the other person does as well. Do you want to be accepted just as you are? I'll bet the other person does too. If we allow all whom we come into contact with to be who they are and pass no judgement on them, aren't we doing unto them as we would want them to do unto us? I don't know about you, but I don't want to be referred to as a "them." I've been there. I probably still am one of them for some... that's too bad. It feels crummy, but it doesn't have to be that way at all.
I want to be accepted and loved right here, right now, without having to change in any way. I'll bet you feel the same. What if we really wanted it so badly that we began to see all creatures as having intrinsic value? What if we just let go of the need to judge or profile anyone?
Do you think it would make a difference?
Could we change the world in the process?
Are we willing to give it a try?
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I've been a them for a while now so maybe I am not the only one who feels like I do. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThis is a powerful peice!!! Wow!, and so well expressed and written. You have some serious talent and clear clean insight into humanity and Life.
ReplyDeleteYou write:
"I want to be accepted and loved right here, right now, without having to change in any way. I'll bet you feel the same. What if we really wanted it so badly that we began to see all creatures as having intrinsic value? What if we just let go of the need to judge or profile anyone?"
I can't even count the number of times I've felt this same way, but never had such beautiful words for it. That is STUNNINGLY powerful. I get shivers reading the truth of this post. I am going to Stumble your site. Have you ever thought of publishing your writing...you could start on www.ezinearticles.com Pick your top posts and give it a try. I just love your work; it is truly a breath of fresh air. I'm very serious.
Excellent job!!!
PS there were so many passages here that ring out with clear sweet with truth!
Wonderful message if we all could walk a mile in someone else's shoes the world would be a better place.
ReplyDeleteWell put, well executed here. What I mean to say is, you have sought out the 'they' 'them' factor, isolated it, & shown many in including this reader, that we ALL have been 'them', or 'they'
ReplyDelete& that it's much more descent, & intelligent, if not just plain understanding~to respect the other's standpoint, from their own shoe size..
If we all decided to just be a small candle & light a dark corner of the world, think how much brighter the world could be. Darkness is not the opposite of light & positive energy. It is merely the 'absence' of light.:) True darkness is something known as 'indifference'...& one could venture down this foreboding road by not wanting to, or caring, to see someone for whom they are with respect.
The light, is the much easier, actually much more fun, way to live!
It's interesting how in the world of identity, people often know what they 'are not' more than what they 'are.' Almost every identity is socially constructed- it is a fiction given meaning by the collective belief of the group. And when you start to break down those constructions in yourself, you begin to see things as they ultimately are- beyond our conventions. That's where the truth is!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! Thank you.
ReplyDelete