Hate is not a color. Hate is a learned behavior. Hate is a choice.
The photo above was taken at a wedding in 2002, right after my son turned one. He had just gotten his feet under him and was still quite wobbly for lack of a better term. The other little fella’s name is Ray Curry Jr.
Being the same size they gravitated right to each other, and spent the entire reception together, walking around, often holding hands, dancing, twirling, laughing, doing what little people do. When one would fall the other would help him up.
The color of the other’s skin meant absolutely nothing to either one of them. It was fun to watch and all these years later I still remember it vividly.
The racial events I see in our country today, are beyond troubling. Why one man, regardless of that man’s color, would want to kill another man, another human being, that he knows absolutely nothing about, simply because of the color of that man’s skin or what he believes, is literally beyond my comprehension.
How can someone be so completely and terribly lost? I literally can can’t get my head around it.
What can I do? What can you do? What can “we” do? We can do our part. At the end of the day all we can do is our individual part, and our part matters.
It absolutely matters because how we choose to respond to the racial issues in our society today, tomorrow and ten years from now will influence the people around us.
Even subtle unproductive remarks are damaging serving only to fuel a fire all people of character wish would just burn out. It fuels the fire by giving other people permission to do the same. Not me. I won’t do it. I choose not to do it.
I don’t care what color you are on the outside. Want to hate something? Hate the evil that exists inside another human being that drives them to do what they do…….but don’t hate the human being.
Our actions are only a reflection of what is living inside of us and what lives inside of us can change.
Truth is, there is not a person on this planet that is beyond the reach of God’s healing grace. Not one…. not a single one.
On top of that, God doesn’t love any one of us more than he loves another. Again, not one…. not a single one.
Want things to change? Have the courage to be the example that will help things change.
Be a part of the solution. Not a part of the problem. Hate is indeed a choice, and so is how you respond to it.
Don’t be afraid to share this if it speaks to you. Lord knows there are people of all races in our country that need to read it.
Get in the boat. Do your part.
From Nose To Toes!
Shane / #16
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Encourage Others – Share this and tag a friend or twelve.