sometimes
sometimes unthinkingly
sometimes out of sheer habit
we make a comment that is
making fun of
making light of
mocking
deriding
someone ..
as in a person ..
..
it's quite easy to do ..
especially with people we perceive to be
not-as-smart
not-as-active
not-as-educated
not-as-good looking
not-as-accomplished
not-as-cool
as we are
best we resist this impulse
methinks
it's a diminutive gesture that looks to elevate ourselves in the eyes of the person with whom we're sharing the degrading comment
so, basically, we're stepping on someone else to give ourself a legup
and that really sucks if you think about it
ours is never to undermine anyone, regardless of their apparent status or the laughability of this or that trait of theirs
cheap trick
..
Jesus taught us to look to elevate people, improve their sense of self-worth, encourage, help, come alongside ..
generally look to be neighbourly
good Samaritan ish
he even said we should love our enemy ..
..
selah
and then there's Paul and some comments he made in 1Corinthians 13
that we might want to place alongside those Jesus-saids ..
there he said things like
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. ..
It does not relish wrong but celebrates right
..
..
it's telling when people who are viewed as 'leaders', particularly in the Christian tradition, belittle others ..
methinks that's quite an un-leaderly thing
and quite unChristian
seriously
friends, these things ought not be so
let us shoot for a higher standard
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Philipppians 4:8
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
think on that verse a bit ..
.. and if there's still any ? left, walk through the verses that follow which, to me, are some of the most remarkable things the scriptures have to say
" Develop the mind of Christ in you. Even though he was in the position of God, he didn't consider that to be something that he couldn't relinquish.
He emptied himself and took the position of a servant, human form. Then, as a human, he further humbled himself in obedience, even to the point of dying on a cross.
Because of that God honoured him, exalting him to the highest place, giving him the highest name, so that at the name 'Jesus' every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will bend, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, and God will get the glory. (Philip 2.5-11)
see?
Jesus went the servant route humble servant emptied himself
Jesus
finally, friends
Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:16
peace
and love
