People whose language I can't understand, whose gestures are not those I'm used to, who are coming from within a culture I have little or no experience of, can frighten me. I prefer dealing with what I know, rather than with the unknown.
I've been in situations where others have projected distrust towards myself. I'm white. I'm male. I'm a Presbyterian (USA) minister. I'm middle aged. I'm middle class. There's a whole lot of presumptions you can make about white, middle aged, middle class PC(USA) clergymen. Likewise I'm of British origin, speak English, work in the USA, and live on Long Island near New York City. Not sure what image that would create in anybody, but there it is!
Our Bible passage for this upcoming Sunday (John 4:5-26) is about an encounter that Jesus (a Jew) had with a Samaritan lady at a watering hole one sunny afternoon. Jews and Samaritans weren't meant to get along. Rabbi's were not suppose to take time out in the heat of the afternoon to chat with ladies of uncertain marital status (like this particular lady). When the disciples of Jesus return from their shopping trip they are horrified to see their respected teacher speaking with somebody they had a lot of prejudices against.
The conversation Jesus has with the lady is a ground breaker. It witnesses to how the nature of true religion is not one of exclusion but inclusion and welcome. Though inconsistencies in the ladies lifestyle are acknowledged, there is no hint of judgment. Differing and incompatible religious traditions are acknowledged, whilst Jesus points out that it wasn't the tradition that should be held as paramount... rather that true spiritual values came from worshiping the 'Father in Spirit and Truth' (verse 23).
Seems like that is a good place to work on our prejudices. By opening our lives up to the influence of the Spirit who created us all equally, male and female, in God's image. Simple really. We are all God's children. We are united by our common humanity. All the labels, barriers, misunderstandings and walls we erect between us look foolish in the light of God's love and the grace that Jesus demonstrated during His ministry towards all people. Unconditional, unmerited, unprejudiced love.
Thought I'd share a song I wrote a few summers ago for Trinity Youth Conference when I was leading some discussions on 'Cliques and Stereotypes'. It's an attempt to express my personal desire that I can overcome my own prejudicial attitudes through surrendering my biased opinions to the higher perspective offered to us through the teaching of Jesus. (Words are below)
Waving a White Flag
Seems like everyone these days
Wants you to wear a label
They want you to fit their expectations
Before you can sit at their table
Well I never cared much for slogans and buttons
I've never been one for causes
There's just to many colours in the rainbow
To minimize your choices
I don't want to wave a red flag
I don't want to wave one that's blue
The only flag i want to wave
Is one of surrender Lord to You
I won't be waving my Union jack
Or any other flag of red, white and blue
I'm waving a white flag Lord
I surrender to You.
Where do you stand on this issue?
Tell me or I won't be your friend
Are you for or against, are you sitting on the fence
Is this the beginning or the end?
We need to know your views, don't leave us confused
Come and lay your cards on the table
I say, ' I am what I am, I will be, what I will be,
I will not wear your label."
I don't want to wave a red flag
I don't want to wave one that's blue
The only flag i want to wave
Is one of surrender Lord to You
I won't be waving my Union jack
Or any other flag of red, white and blue
I'm waving a white flag Lord
I surrender to You.
I was going to write a verse here
To present my oh so balanced view
But to be completely honest
I'm just as messed up as you
So there's not a verse here,
I'm just playing a tune...
(Draw your own conclusions)
Unfortunately we are all guilty of this to some extent, but as a librarian I should know that "you can't judge a book by it's cover!"
ReplyDelete