A human weakness is our tendency to make judgements of others and to hold attitudes towards others based on our biases. This is so common we have many words to describe aspects of it, such as discrimination, snobbery, put-down, racism, class distinction, elitism, and so on.
We know to be careful of the first impression we make, because people will form an opinion of us that will be hard to shift once in place. We are told to “Make a good impression”. That feeds the western focus on image, driving fashion and popular trends. It leads to consumerism, where people discard perfectly useful items, because they aren’t the right model, shape or colour any more.
Sadly prejudice impacts us at many levels and can cause great pressure to conform to the popular values and expectations, with rejection poured on those who don’t fit in.
Like it or not you are most likely skewed in your ideas of others due to your cultural, economic, social, religious, academic, employment and entertainment programming.
For example, I have seen westerners react to asian food with disgust, saying something like, “Who in the world would eat this stuff?” The answer is “Millions of people, who really enjoy it!” Things that seem weird to us are not weird at all, but just outside our experience. Many times we get to know that flavour or style and get to like it.
That’s all an introduction to the idea that we have prejudiced thinking toward people who do not deserve our scorn or rejection. They may be too rich or poor for our liking, or dress too fashionably, or too shabbily for us, or be too intellectual or too ignorant for our preference, but they are just as human as we are. If we scorn them, reject them, remain suspicious of them, cringe in their presence or otherwise have an infected attitude toward them we are acting in an unworthy manner.
Jesus is an interesting example of someone who had Unprejudiced Thinking toward people. The Gospel accounts show that Jesus met with ordinary people and religious leaders. He welcomed all comers, whether they were lepers or blind, or rich tax collectors. He spoke freely and with equal care toward women and children, rich and poor.
He openly challenged and rebuked Pharisees, but did not shy from dining with them or debating with them. Jesus was not afraid of sinners, but connected with them and shared the truth with them as freely as with anyone else. He was not afraid of sin or of those who had chosen sinful lives.
No-one was too low or too high, too holy or too sinful, for His sincere concern for them. When a rich young man went away stunned by Christ’s challenge to give up his wealth, Jesus had great compassion for him.
“Jesus looked at him, loved him, and told him, You lack one thing. Go, sell all you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me. But the man was saddened by these words and went away sorrowful, because he had great wealth.” Mark 10:21,22
Take a moment to reflect on people you react to. We tend to cringe around people who don’t keep themselves well, or who are clingy or miserable. We tend to react to people who are arrogant or prideful. We tend to avoid people who are too different to us.
However we know that God loves all of those people.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him would not be destroyed, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
We will not be able to truly love them if we allow our prejudices and pre-judgement of those people to get in the way.
When I am assisting people to deal with deep hurts they received from someone, I like to get them to pray God’s blessings on the offender. I get them to pray the most wonderful blessings we can think of for that one who wronged them. That is not their personal preference or their automatic response, but it challenges their heart to find love, even for enemies or those who persecute them.
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27,28
It can be quite a game changer for people to stop being angry, resentful, vengeful, jealous, spiteful and offended, and actually become an agent of blessing.
This is an expression of Paul’s instruction that we be an ‘action’, not a ‘reaction’.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
Every time you give in to your prejudices, or your fear of people who are strange and different to you, you are overcome by evil. You are to avoid that and, instead, overcome that evil, your prejudices and reactions, with good. The good might be that you actually care about the other person, or that you show love to them, help them, befriend them and show impartiality toward them.
I have been surprised and blessed over the years when I pushed past my insecurity and reaction to people I did not understand, and began to relate to them. I found that they are perfectly human and have much the same aspirations as I do.
As a youth I was uncomfortable around the aged and infirm. I also avoided people outside my familiar culture, afraid they might reject me in some way. I kept to my comfort zone, which meant I kept up my prejudices. Gradually I have let down many of the barriers and found many wonderful friendships and connections I would otherwise have missed.
Friends, you are called to love your neighbour, which includes all those people you come across. To do that you need to put aside the evil of your own fears, insecurities and pre-judgement of others, and serve the Lord with Unprejudiced Thinking.
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