A reflection on prejudice...Is it really prejudice?

Maybe it’s not ‘subtle racism’, or ‘sexism’, maybe it’s not ‘prejudice’. 

What if it has to do with our need to belong, and to feel a part of a group, our need for social acceptance? 

Maybe we gravitate towards and prefer people that are like us, race, gender, social status... because we think we will have things in common with them. We can relate to them and we just want to be understood.

After all, isn’t that what we all long for? Being understood and akin to someone?

Jacoby Lee 3

You are my sunshine Jacoby Lee <3

 Found this in my school notebook from last semester while looking through my notes from New Testament.

I fall again and again 

but You are right beside me

reaching out to lift me up.

I can't look at You

I am too ashamed

but You lift my face to Yours

as you whisper to my soul,

"I still love you child,

I have payed your ransom

you are forgiven."

Jacoby Lee 2

My sweet little man is growing so fast. climbing and crawling and trying to walk. it amazed me the other day when I was playing with him and asked him to clap, he responded. He knew what I was saying. He loves 'pat-a-cake' and bath time... If I don't put his little rubber animals and a washcloth in he will peer out of the bath tub at me like 'mom are you forgetting something?' He also tries to put everything in his mouth and throws fits to get his way it show displeasure... Any form of discipline is a game,to him so the best thing to do is to ignore or divert his attention. He's extremely brilliant and learns very quickly. It's amazing watching him react to life. He's very adventurous and fearless.

     Wednesday morning in class, as Dr. Wisdom passed out the quizzes in New Testament, he was talking about Romans. When he got to Zeke, the tallest guy on the basketball team, he asked if he could call on him to come up front a little bit later. After the quiz, Dr. Wisdom talked about sin, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God," he then asked Zeke to come up.
     "Imagine this room is a pit. 3000 feet deep and full of fire and the platform is the edge. I have to jump all the way to the back of the room or I will go down." he says as he prepares for the jump. "Do you think I can make it?" The students didn't seem confident, obviously it's over 20 feet.
     He jumps from the platform to the third row of benches. "Not bad for being almost 55!" he defends. The students laugh. "Now, who thinks that Zeke can out jump me?" Hands shoot up all over the room, including Zeke's. "Remember I hold the grade book!" Wisdom jokes, again, laughter from the students.
     Zeke jumps and clears at least twice the distance that Wisdom did.
     "He made it way past me." Wisdom comments.
     "But I'm still going down." Zeke speaks up, "I didn't make it to the back." He takes his seat and Dr. Wisdom returns to the platform,
     "To fall short of God's glory is to fall short, regardless of how close you are!" he concludes soberly.
     
     We can try so hard, be so perfect in human eyes, but we ALL have sinned, we ALL need God's grace equally! I get so self righteous sometimes thinking "well at least I'm not doing what they're doing!" I forget that I too have fallen short and if not for my Savior's patient grace and forgiveness carrying me to the other side, I would face an eternity in that fiery pit.