Lesson 3: Change your stereotypes. I've had some nasty ones - Catholics, Assembly of God, I'll stop there. Our stereotypes are formed so quickly and blindly that we never throw a thought to the hearts of the people within them. I was reminded of this on our trip down on Friday as the guys, that were riding with me, told me all about homeless people, from their years of experience, of course. Everything they new was from either TV or a 4 second encounter in Philly. I couldn't get upset - I've done the same thing numerous times.
The cool thing was seeing God move through our experiences. Saturday night we went to find all the homeless people we could to just give them what we had - pizza from the night before, candy, fruit and vegetables. What startled me was that Colleen and Crystal (I'm sure a spelled that wrong) the two girls we worked with all weekend, would go and do this on their free time. They new some of their names and right where to go to find them. I wanted God to change the stereotypes that the students had, and He came through. At Tent City, a refuge of sorts in the courtyard of a catholic church, they met a guy about my age. One gentleman said that He'd hug Emily for giving him the food... if he had legs.
It made me think of what other stereotypes I have. My conclusion is this: constantly ask God if He would let you see people as He does. He has no stereotypes. The result is a love for humanity... at least that's the best way I can describe it.
The cool thing was seeing God move through our experiences. Saturday night we went to find all the homeless people we could to just give them what we had - pizza from the night before, candy, fruit and vegetables. What startled me was that Colleen and Crystal (I'm sure a spelled that wrong) the two girls we worked with all weekend, would go and do this on their free time. They new some of their names and right where to go to find them. I wanted God to change the stereotypes that the students had, and He came through. At Tent City, a refuge of sorts in the courtyard of a catholic church, they met a guy about my age. One gentleman said that He'd hug Emily for giving him the food... if he had legs.
It made me think of what other stereotypes I have. My conclusion is this: constantly ask God if He would let you see people as He does. He has no stereotypes. The result is a love for humanity... at least that's the best way I can describe it.
August 10, 2008 at 6:02 AM
Thank you