There can be neither Jew nor Greek,
there can be neither bond nor
there can be no male and female;
for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 ASV
In her public high school, a Christian teacher started an enditnow project (a global campaign raising awareness and advocating for an end to violence against women and children). The high-school students came from different, and difficult, brackgrounds: Bulgarian, Turkish, and Roma (a traditionally nomadic ethnic group): Many children came from abusive and/or low-income families. They manifested a high level of aggression in their behavior. When these students learned to communicate in a nonaggressive manner through the enditnow program, the atmosphere in that school changed dramatically.
One day, when invited to speak to these students, I gave each of them a piece of paper that they had to cut into equal pieces. On one paper, they drew something they wouldn’t want crawling up their legs. On the second paper, they drew something they didn't like to eat. On the third paper, I asked them to write the name of someone they dearly loved, such as their mom, grandmother, or favorite aunt. Then I asked them to look at the pictures on their first piece of paper before crumpling and then stomping on the sketches of scorpions, wasps, and cockroaches. With an escalating noise level, the students happily did the same with their second piece of paper. They loved “hurting” the drawings of what they didn’t like to eat. But when I asked them to do the same thing to their third piece of paper, bearing the name of a loved one, they grew very quiet. “What’s the matter?” I asked. “It's nothing more than a name – it’s not the actual person.” They couldn’t bring themselves to harm those third pieces of paper. “But I love this person!” several of them said. What an eye-opening lesson that was for them! It’s difficult to hurt someone with whom we have a relationship. It’s hard to wish harm on someone we know.
Before hurting someone, we should first learn about their likes and dislikes, pasts, and families. Rather than skin color, background, gender, or age, a love based on relationship manifests itself in true caring, respect, and tolerance. The students and I decided that in the future, before letting ourselves develop bad feelings about someone, we should try to get to know the person better. I hope you and I will make that same decision as well.
In His Presence Copyright ©2018 General Conference Women’s Ministries Department