Not Welcome! A Choice Between Acceptance or Hate

It finally happened. 

I knew it probably would at some point  But here it was in all of its ugliness.  And, mind you, on the way to a conference where God's love would be front and center; true appreciation for all that is good and right on its best display.

Over the weekend, my husband and a co-worker traveled to Indiana for a yearly appreciation weekend for law enforcement and their families.

As they stopped for lunch in Illinois, they encountered hatred at its finest. 

My husband was wearing a shirt that "advertised" a Christian law enforcement ministry.  On the back, a scripture verse clearly defining an officer's calling.

With that in plain view, the waitress promptly initiated a response...a hate-filled response which included her refusal to serve two men who were simply looking for lunch.  Not in uniform.  Not at the scene of an altercation, but rather in a public restaurant where at one time, everyone was welcome.

Now, on behalf of said eating establishment, the manager told the young lady that she needed to leave, then very courteously and professionally served my husband and his co-worker herself.

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So, is this what we have come to?  A country with limitless potential, intellectual prowess and opportunity, being overcome with hatred and dissension?


Let's step back for a moment.  I want to try and understand the situation that is enveloping our society and I'd ask you to take a look with me.  We can only fix what we understand.

Below are a couple of points which I feel are not being addressed in a civilized fashion.  The first one being...


1.  There is no such thing as racism.  This is probably one of Satan's greatest lies....the most effective work in dividing people.  Hear me when I say, there are people groups that are different from others in appearance and areas of origin, language or beliefs, and there are sinful attitudes and actions towards them for various reasons, BUT we are all of one race. Just because you have a different skin color, eyes, hair, or language, does not make you a different "species". 

We've got to stop with the racism card.  No group of people on this planet are innocent of committing atrocities towards peoples of other groups.  We must face the facts.  People are sinful people.  Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Gay, Straight, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc., have all committed ungodly acts towards others from out of their sinful hearts.  Without God, we are all bent towards destruction of others and destruction of self, so pointing the finger benefits no one as we are all guilty.

2.  Cops are not the enemy, but neither are Blacks.  Okay.  Let's just throw it out on the table.  For you young people (and anyone else) who are warring against police officers just because so-in-so had a bad experience, you need to hear me.  Cops are not the enemy.  You've been lied to and your minds jaded.  It's time to step up to the plate and begin reasoning and thinking this out with wisdom. 

Is it possible that you are believing and acting on something without firsthand knowledge?  How can any of us possibly even begin to know all cops, their spouses, their children, who they are as a person, etc.?  You are doing the very thing you hate...labeling and stereotyping people who are simply different than you; those who have chosen a different career path.

Cops do not make the rules.   Chances are, they don't even agree with every one of them they have to enforce, but it is their job.  And, against popular belief, they are not out there preying on the Black population.  Does that mean that there has never been an incident where a cop was out of line in a situation?  No.  But the majority of officers are good, caring citizens who want to make a difference and help people, AND go home at the end of their shift to their family.

Black friends...because of the continual "racism" propaganda in the media and even from some of your very own spokespersons, many are becoming afraid and distancing themselves from you.  That's wrong and highly unfair as well.  It's deepening the divide, not healing it.  See how the enemy places that seed of doubt, fear and hatred within people's hearts and minds?  We've all got to put a stop to it; to silence the hate talk and try and bridge the gap of misunderstanding. 

For those of us who are brothers and sisters in the Lord, it doesn't matter what color our skin is or what occupation we've chosen.  What matters is that we are His and that we find unity in Him. We are going to have to learn to set aside our preconceived ideas of one another and instead extend the hand of common ground - being an American citizen and more importantly, being created in God's image. Isn't that better and more productive than the continual banter of hate along with the hurtful, ungodly actions that spiral out from that?

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So, going back to my original story.  I don't know what was going on in the young lady's mind and heart who chose to lash out at these two men whom she'd never met before.  

Perhaps she had a bad experience in the past.  Maybe it was just misguided information and frustrations. Or, perhaps she just hated the shirt. Lol.

Whatever it is was, my prayer is that she will come to see that the two men she refused to serve, were on their way to a conference for law enforcement, where the broken and bruised were encouraged and loved on.  That these same men would have welcomed her with open arms, and that she would have been shown such love and respect had she had given them the opportunity.  

May the God of all comfort and healing, begin bridging the great divide that has opened up between us.  

May our hearts and minds be re-molded to embrace and welcome those who are different from us.

And, may we not buy into the hate-filled agenda that is being spread across this nation.

Looking forward,
Kristi