The following may come as a shock to some readers. Then again, it may come across as common sense. Whatever the case may be, readers need to know that not every white person is “racist,” nor did that person derive from a family of slave owners. Meanwhile, not every black male is a “thug,” nor is every undocumented or illegal immigrant in the United States a “Mexican.” I could go on, but I do not want to lose any more readers than I already have.
I am sharing this today because writing for Engage is not my day job. Until God says otherwise, I am a news reporter. I have spent the last several years working in broadcasting. Through it all, I’ve heard soundbites from a variety of people who were offended or wronged because they assumed things about people in different situations.
For example, if a black person is picked over for a job, and a Caucasian man is hired instead, some people in the African American community will say it’s because of the color of his skin. Meanwhile, a white lady on a hotel elevator might hold her purse a little tighter when two black males enter said elevator. Why? She’s seen TV shows and news reports about black males stealing purses. As for “the Mexicans” coming into the United States illegally, they might be coming from Mexico through other countries. As a result, they’re not from Mexico. But you’d never know it listening to conversations with people concerning border issues.
Sure, statistics might be used by any and all of these people I’ve just described. Those numbers might be correct, but always consider the source of any statistics mentioned by any individual. From where did those stats come? Were they misconstrued or carefully chosen to benefit the person conveying the data? Information can be gained in a variety of ways, and answers might depend on who, what, why, and how questions are asked. Regardless, the ignorance and blame game needs to end. Because if it doesn’t, ignorance and finger pointing will continue, and we will never truly have the kind of neighborly relationship God intends.
If something bad happens to you, don’t assume the worst and chalk it up to hate. If someone wrongs or hurts you, forgive. Never take things out on people that look like those who did you harm. In case you have not noticed from my picture, I’m a white guy. I don’t own slaves, and I am not responsible for things white people chose to do in our nation’s past. Meanwhile, there are black people that work hard, pay their bills and do not enter a department store with intent to steal. As for “the Mexicans” you may encounter in your town, do not automatically assume they are here illegally and surviving on your tax dollars. You don’t know unless you ask them, and if you approach them in that manner, I highly doubt you will get an answer. That’s because you are stereotyping. In other words, you believe unfairly that all people with a particular characteristic are the same.
Let me pause here and say that there are people with racist or prejudiced perspectives. As a result, they might, say, hire someone based on their ethnicity. They might also steal purses from a person of another color, while using that as a reason for the theft. Unfortunately, there will still be people like that next year, and the year after. But our generation can put a dent in their numbers, in hopes of helping future generations. We can see people for who they are, people, and some of them need help. It’s obvious that people who are hateful for no reason need help. At the same time, people in your town are there for some reason. Whatever their situation, all people need Jesus. And the Millennial generation, aka people born in the 80s and 90s, could be the first generation that truly reflects God’s will and His way. It will not be easy. We may not always want to see the world this way, but the people you encounter every day are your neighbors.
Jesus taught a few lessons about being a neighbor. One of them is the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). If you’re not familiar, Jesus tells a story about a man who leaves Jerusalem for Jericho. During his trip, the man is robbed, beaten, stripped and left for dead by thieves. A few passersby choose not to help the man, and it’s not until a Samaritan stops that he gets treatment and begins to recover.
The concept that made this parable so revolutionary in its day (and its application is still revolutionary today) is that the Samaritan and the Jew were enemies. They did not get along before Jesus’ birth, and they continued to have their differences after Jesus’ resurrection. The point that Jesus makes is that no matter the differences we have with someone, we are neighbors. Therefore, we should be helpful or friendly (read: neighborly) and treat them as we would like to be treated. To be sure, they should also act in this way. It’s something society has referred to over the years as The Golden Rule, and Jesus also talks about that in Scripture (Luke 6:31). Jesus calls it the second greatest commandment. The first is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind.
If we love God, we will love our neighbor. According to Jesus, the only begotten Son of God who came and died for all mankind, it is on these two commandments that all the law and prophets hang (Matthew 22:36-40). Can we stop the ignorance and hate around us? I hope to have shown you that we should. The question is, will we make it happen?
