Are you prejudiced? I am. I would say we all are, though we may be prejudiced against different things or different people. I’m not sure we would be human if we weren’t prejudiced in some way. 

 

Several weeks ago, I was the target of an unexpected prejudice that included name-calling and expressions of contempt and hatred. It shocked me and temporarily crushed my spirit. 

 

I cried the tears, did the journaling and praying, and reached out for comfort. Once the initial hurt and shock passed, I chose not to go back and ruminate on the painful feelings. I’m better off seeking out the lessons from this situation and applying them to my present day life. 

 

For starters, I’m now able to thank the “teacher” for the lessons that I couldn’t have learned any other way. I’m better able to ask myself, What is this meant to teach me about life and about me? Yes, about me, not about the other person. 

 

One thing I’ve come to realize is that there is a hierarchy of prejudice in our world. To be prejudiced in THIS area, or against THESE people, is culturally unacceptable. (We're all well aware of those things.) But to have prejudice against these people, or this agenda, is socially acceptable, because we can readily find a circle of folks who share our same stance.

 

Isn’t that a convenient way to justify prejudice? Isn’t it hypocrisy when we condemn others for one kind of prejudice, while holding onto some of our own?

 

Bearing prejudice or worse, acting on it, serves to divide rather than unite. It fosters ego, instead of humility. It’s suggests that one is better than another. That someone is absolutely right and someone else is absolutely wrong. 

 

I lived black and white for a long time. I judged a lot of people and things. All that did was separate me when what I wanted and needed more than anything was to feel a sense of belonging to my fellow men and women.

 

I’ve written and have spoken often about my pursuit of becoming average and anonymous, to see myself as one among many. Rather than continuing to strive to be exceptional (and therefore, separate), I have found this path the better one for me.

 

Prejudice is Latin for pre-judge. It usually involves making an assumption or an opinion about someone based on a global judgment, not on an actual experience and often leads to exclusion and/or harmful treatment.

 

Not to make light of things, but as a non-divisive example, I used to be completely prejudiced against black cats. It had nothing to do with personal experience and everything to do with the bad rap they get. All that changed one day when a big, solid black male (a mini-jaguar!) showed up at our house with no apparent intentions of leaving. 

 

We decided to get him fixed and up to date on shots for the protection of our own cats. When we dropped him off at the vet, they said we have to keep him inside for ten days after surgery. My husband still doesn’t believe I didn’t know that in advance. (I really didn’t!) We were attached by that time and named him Lucky. 

 

I have since owned or fostered several black kitties. The boys are fierce hunters, but gentle and affectionate with their persons. The females are high octane and adventuresome, and once exhausted, sweet cuddle bugs. To think I went thirty years misjudging them. Who else and what else have I misjudged and missed out on?

 

We are all born equal. Time doesn’t change that without the introduction of prejudice and judgment. Our circumstances may vary widely, but no choice or deed can alter the fact that we’re born into this world and deserve to live and be seen as equal souls, one just as important as another.

 

Last I checked, nobody made me the judge and jury of anybody or anything. I am only responsible for myself, my choices, and my actions. I know that's easier said than done.

 

It’s human nature to put ourselves somewhere on a scale and judge those who are not where we are. We may vacillate between feeling better than and less than, depending on the person or agenda we’re comparing ourselves to. But either way, most of us live on a scale. 

 

However, remaining in constant comparison and judgment is a choice. Prejudice against something is human nature, but it doesn’t mean it’s a human quality that we have to embrace. In fact, many aspects of human nature don’t serve our greater good, ours or the world we impact.

 

A world of prejudice isn’t the world I choose to participate in. It’s not the way I want to personally show up in the world. Perhaps that makes me prejudiced against the prejudiced? So there's another one I didn't know I had.

 

Although I do struggle with prejudices, I am humbly asking God to reveal them to me and give me the strength to choose peace and unity at all times, at all costs. I’m far from perfect, but that’s who I aspire to be—tolerant and loving. Accepting. 

 

We don’t have to condone someone’s choices in order to love and accept them as an equal human being, no matter who they are or what they’ve done. 

 

I get to practice love and acceptance with the person who called me names. Any opportunity to grow in humility, stretch my character and further define my integrity is a gift. 

 

Once again, I’m reminded that everything, everything is used for my good, for your good, if we let it. Nothing is bad, nothing. If you know my story, you know I’ve had my share of traumas, as many of you have.

 

And I say again, nothing is bad, it just is. It’s all part of the plan that serves to continually refine us into the human beings we are and will continue to become.

 

For today, I’m willing to watch for all the ways prejudice and judgment show up in me today. Who’s with me?