My youngest is old enough now that he’s more curious about the state of things in the world.
He’ll often tell me things he heard at school or a news bit that he knows about. I always start from a place of curiosity, “what do you think about that?” or “how does that make you feel?”.
In the car today, we talked about the sirens that went off midday yesterday. About how scary that was for some people who hadn’t seen the news that the system would have a test. I talked about those drills we had as 80s kids post Cold War where we were taught to go under our desks. Totally normal for us, Gen X’ers.
He mentioned how scary it is to think about the war and what it could mean for our life here in the US. The conversation led to some good thoughts and questions. And then I shared this:
When people get grouped together, instead of being seen as individual human beings with real lives, families, homes etc, it’s easy to group them as enemies or “others”.
This picture demonstrates exactly what K & I talked about.
This man, who likely doesn’t speak the same language I do, who lives across the world in a place I’ve been told is “evil”, likely practices a different faith than I do….is also a father who is just trying to keep his daughter dry from the rain. Trying to get home safe to the people who love him and he loves.
After 9/11, I didn’t see a whole country of people across the world as my enemy. I saw Muslim neighbors scared, showing up at a local church to mourn with Americans.
The US military complex is built on the concept that there is always an enemy we must train to defend ourselves from. We will always find one, whether legitimately founded or otherwise. Remember that.
You will never convince me that a group of people across the world are any more my “enemy” than the person standing in a voting booth, voting to take away my rights or the rights of the people & community members I care about. No more than a group standing at the statehouse cheering for leaders who criminalize homelessness or a Governor who refuses to feed hungry children.
You can make assumptions about “that” group of people across the globe because the news tells you to.
I’m going to pay attention to how you define neighbor and if that definition has borders, national or otherwise.
How you talk to, about, and listen to brown & black people.
How you show up for the community around you, particularly those who don’t look like you.
How you posture yourself in spaces that are dominated by patriarchal culture and whether you make space for others at the table.
How you live out your faith when you’re in the spotlight and when you encounter an inconvenience of need.
Behavior, not words. Every damn time.
Matthew 25: 34-40
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[c] you were doing it to me!’
Heather Hilbert 