June 25, 2001
diversity
1: the condition of being different
or having differences 2:
an instance or a point of difference
I was flipping channels recently
and caught a portion of a documentary on little people.
Through the years we have known these folks by different names, but those
who are faced with being much smaller than average have adopted this description
or name.
The program focused on several
individuals in ordinary settings and a gathering that featured everything from
athletics to fashion to relationships. There
was one young lady who I was impressed with because of her attitude and, you
guessed it, her soul.
She described two different times that she faced direct
affronts. As an employee at a
K-Mart, she is always in the public eye. On
one occasion she described a man who began to laugh at her as he examined her
small frame. He continued this
assault of types for several minutes until he fell over from his laughter.
I was appalled by what I was hearing, but the worst was to follow.
On another occasion, a man confronted her after looking her over and
began to berate her telling her that she was a mistake in the eyes of God.
He then proceeded to quote bible passages and told her that she was an
abomination and there was no room for her in the house of God.
My hunch is that you find his
remarks as offensive as I did as I watched the program.
What followed was a heartfelt description of the diversity that God has
given us as a gift. She talked
about the gift her life was and that she was not angry by the two encounters,
but prayed that someday they would see the light.
She ended by saying; “I don’t believe God made a mistake when he made
me. He knew what he was doing.”
Even though we may have trouble
relating to the man’s comments about God and mistakes, it wasn’t that many
years ago that it was common to see outward demonstrations of prejudice towards
the diversity of race or color in our country.
If you watch the world news, you know that it is still acceptable to
reject racial, religious, physical, etc. diversity in many countries.
It seems that through education
and spiritual awakening, we begin to see diversity through eyes of love and
acceptance. I admit that there are
times when I am challenged by the diversity before me.
It is uncomfortable to rise above the “stuff” we carry around in our
minds. However, I have yet to find
any works of the Divine Messengers that focus on exclusion of some for the
benefit of others. Getting beyond those prejudices that exist in us all means
yielding to our soul that is amazed and in awe of the diversity that God
created.
With respect, acceptance, and
love,
Richard