Marvelous Monday morning, everyone! My tank is full today, friends. I’m well-rested and finally bidding adieu to this yucky cold that has been hanging around and over me for the past two weeks.
This past week, I spoke to the kids in my eighth grade class using the Town Hall method. We’re focusing on respect; however, we’re drilling down a bit more by stressing the need to nurture and celebrate diversity. There’s an urgency of NOW like never before. If you watch the news, the focus is always on our differences, and rather than respect, hatred is in the headlines every day.
The groups with divergent views or dissimilar core values seek to highlight the difference between them — usually by pointing out that which one group perceives to be inferior or unwanted. The idea is mathematical in a sense. The more I take away from that person or group, the less of him or them there will be. Think about it. I may have simplified it, but at the core, that’s what we’re dealing with. I challenged my kiddos to look in the mirror more often and to focus on that thing that they see as a blemish. For teens, it might be a giant pimple or an overbite. For those with dreams deferred, it might be the lack of a college degree or the family you wish you had started in your twenties. For others, it might be the thyroid condition that causes you to struggle with your weight or that you’re the target of gossip because you’ve been divorced several times. Imagine those who oppose you pointing out your perceived weaknesses day after day. In their repeated attempts to diminish you, they sometimes do.
If you want the antidote, the recipe, or the solution to this problem, come back tomorrow for part two. You will be blessed. Until then, turn up the volume and worship to Kirk Franklin’s Love Theory. May blessings abound! <3
Go to part two of this series for clicking here.
Good morning looking forward to part II
A blessed morning to you, Michelle! You speak nothing but the truth; it’s time for those of us who are committed to raising others’ spirits to step up our worship, praise, ministries, teachings and love! Time isn’t long!
Interesting how you describe one of the attacks that had me duck over the weekend. Thanks God, I needed the workout! I can hardly wait for part two – and a signal to listen to GP. Feel the blessings and keep praying it forward, Sis. 💛💙
Tell me more, Roo.
Yesterday I keyed the perfect response and my server crashed and took it with it… in my seniors group some of our members like to Hash over the news and they tend to get very negative, very quickly. I rarely respond to any negativity at all, but that particular time I stepped up and ask them what if we all focus on our similarities, rather than to focus on our differences? Once we have level ground to stand on we’re not struggling to keep our balance and don’t feel like we need to defend ourselves. At that point we can listen to one another. I wish I could say my suggestion was well received. Perhaps someone didn’t want to put themselves under scrutiny also and kept there thoughts to themselves. I will continue to love on them all regardless, as long as God has me here.
Sigh. I missed a couple of speech to text errors. Which is actually funny if you saw today’s What Next post. 😄
Yes! (And I love the Kirk and Co. song/video, btw!)