Saturday, June 14, 2008

How do you view them?

The terms "enemy", "adversary", "opposition", "renegades", and the like are often used by the media to describe parties at war, political rivals or other groups opposed to one another. When we label people, we stop thinking of them as our brothers and sisters. We find ourselves justified in our actions, some of them quite hostile, because we are dealing with our "enemies".

The same thing happens with any type of label we may apply to another "foreigner", "old person", "authority figure"...each label we add colors the way we look at someone and blinds us to the "real" person. Do these labels make them who they really are? How do you feel when someone labels you? Especially if they choose one that is not accurate.

Next time you find yourself thinking in these terms, look at them through Christ's eyes...He saw all people as brothers and sisters and loved them as such. Can we do the same?

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