Strip Away Stereotypes

You do not know me yet you speak like you know everything about me.  We have ever met, you know not my name though you claim the right to evaluate my person.  Your claims are that my gender, my race, my age, my political platform, and/or my creed define my person thus lumping me into a particular group.  What gives you the right to first, create such stereotypes and, second, play a sorting game with my life and the lives of others?  This is a crime against humanity for such action has not only drawn lines in the sand but erected walls and towers of which only certain people, carrying the right credentials, can pass or enter.  Ask me who I am and I will not respond with physical attributes so why is this your first credential; how does my physical appearance effect my cause?  Allow me to respond, "It doesn't."  Please remove this sorting technique, it is crude and rudimentary; it creates resentment and fosters ill will.  As a legal citizen I have been granted the right to exercise my vote, that is for whichever political candidate I choose.  Stop harassing me for my choice, just because we voted for different candidates does not make me an enemy, does not make me incompetent.  Stop your insults, stop your complaining, stop your discrimination of those whose opinions differ from your own; instead of heated debates why not partake in conversation, let us come to know each other, let us take a moment to pray?  That's right, creed is yet another credential by which you sort, by which you justify your stereotypes. I must also explain to you that there is a difference between religion and faith; thus, again, you are erroneous in your definition of me.  The forum in which I choose to deepen my faith defines not my person for religion is but man made; its imperfections impact not my faith for my faith is God given.  Whether I enter a church, a synagogue, a mosque or a unmarked building that I may center myself in my God and partake in communal traditions of worship...I am not defined by such entry nor action.  You have this need to define me, an infatuation with groupings and categories yet I reject such a judgmental critique of my person and any other person.  If you want to know me, come gather with me; in prayer I will take your hand and our souls will meet.  We shall come together as one without words for our souls will speak and our hearts respond.  Faith is what defines my person, come I will show you my person, I will share who I am with you.  Why do you back away?  Quickly you set parameters on my person but my invitation to know me you ignore?  If you will not come close, just listen..."I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:14-17   I walk not alone in this world, every step, every breath I a wrapped in the Father's love, His strengthen my courage for through faith I have learned to listen, to trust.  I see the world as not something to be defined, it attacks me not as you would have others believe from your obsession with stereotypes; the world is beautiful, I find beauty in action, in hope, in each landscape.  Love is who I am and this makes me limitless in my possibilities, limitless in my actions for my expectations are not seeded upon physical returns.  In choosing to live my faith, choosing to slow down that I may see and experience the Father in my every breath, I see the souls of every person I meet, this is how I connect, this is what I see; not physical attributions, not political debate.  The worry, the grief, the anxiety caused by the need to stereotype every person weighs upon your shoulders, I can see the strain in your eyes.  Such a daunting task makes for a tiresome, exhausting life.  Take rest, my friend, and the Lord will keep you safe, safe from your enemies, safe from your thoughts, safe from that which has become your definition.  In peace I will lie down and fall asleep, for you alone, LORD, make me secure.  Psalms 4:9  I know you want to rest, I can feel your sadness, your tiredness, it drains from you your energy, your life hence your reason for actions of judgment.  Let go, be defined by faith, defined in love, the Father's love.  You want the right to judge me yet humanity is not afforded such a right; God, one God, one judge, no you, not me.  The next time you look at me, look me in the eyes and I will show you my soul, I will share with you me, I will show you that faith defines my person, faith defines my actions.  I wish for you to put to rest your judgements, to unlearn the stereotypes you project upon this world; yet I know this is a daunting task.  I will continue to live, purposed in love, doing my best to model the actions of my Savior and you, you will continue to judge.  I cannot change you but I can offer to you love, offer to you a chance to choose your heart, choose the love of the Father.  The offer stands, for now, for later, the offer holds no conditions and requires only one thing...the real you.  Know this, each attempt to place around me parameters, to mark me with any stereotype is futile for I fit into only one mold, the mold of me as defined by faith and faith alone.  Each day I grow, I become more aware of my person, more observant of the Father, more open to love; faith transforms my life daily and love makes me whole.  Instead of projecting upon others stereotypes of who they are not, why not stop and discover who you are and how your life can be transformed by faith.  Discover the Father, live faith and there will no longer be a need to define people, let actions of faith be our definition.