9.8.23 - Matthew 5:44-45
"Othering" is the psychological definition of evil. It means we've objectified someone and made them less than human. How might you resist this temptation today?
But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. In this way you show that you are children of God. They make the sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. They let rain fall on people whether they are just or unjust.
I think this passage is the ultimate display of power and strength in the most Goliath-smashing way.
When it comes down to it, we are all just people... we're all just 9 childhood traumas stacked up and covered in a trench coat, walking around trying our best.
Every one of us deserves dignity, even the "worst" of us, because we were made by the same Creator, crafted from the same image (although multifaceted), and struggle on the same ball of rock, hurling through space, wondering if our new alien overlords will be the kind that offer universal healthcare.
Why welcome only some people? Why do we make a practice of othering? Are those really the best tools for navigating our problems? Or should we think about using new tools -- like mercy, community, truth, and laughter?
Who have you "othered" recently? What can you do to take one small step that rehumanizes them? [You don't have to relate to someone to experience their humanity.]
--Katelin Champion
Thank you, Katelin, for your words today on "othering." Excellent. And really, really hard for me to apply when I look at Donald Trump and his minions. And so many other Republicans. And White Supremacists. And oil and gas executives and on and on....But your words challenge me and touch my spirit and call me to remember we are all from the same Creator. There is indeed a place to call out evil, and you rightly challenge me to come from a place of real love (accountability, justice, etc.) and not hate. Thanks for this vital reminder and I shall endeavor to live this out, with a few colossal mistakes here and there! :)