We and They

"We and They"

by Rudyard Kipling

Father, Mother, and Me,

Sister and Auntie say

All the people like us are We,

And everyone else is They.

And They live over the sea

While we live over the way,

But—would you believe it?—They look upon We

As only a sort of They!

We eat pork and beef

With cow-horn-handled knives.

They who gobble Their rice off a leaf

Are horrified out of Their lives;

While they who live up a tree,

feast on grubs and clay,

(Isn't it scandalous?) look upon We

As a simply disgusting They!

We eat kitcheny food.

We have doors that latch.

They drink milk and blood

Under an open thatch.

We have doctors to fee.

They have wizards to pay.

And (impudent heathen!) They look upon We

As a quite impossible They!

All good people agree,

And all good people say,

All nice people, like us, are We

And everyone else is They:

But if you cross over the sea,

Instead of over the way,

You may end by (think of it!) looking on We

As only a sort of They! 

While in my office the other day, I had my music turned up nice and loud and I was working across the room on a bulletin board.  All of a sudden the computer started ringing the familiar Skype ringtone.  I don't normally get random Skype calls.  Skype dates are usually scheduled well in advance.  It was a friend of mine who moved to China last month to do mission work for a couple of years.  I originally met him during my first year in Uganda and he's been a good friend ever since.  Of course I accepted the random call and it was a pleasure to hear about his new ministry.  In the course of the impromptu chat he asked if he could read a poem.  I thought it was a little weird, but also knew he was a little goofy from being up in the middle of the night there so I said yes and he began to read.  It became obvious as he read why he had chosen to share it with me.  For anyone who has ever worked in any capacity outside of their "native" (we) world (whether rural to urban, rich to poor, American to non-American, Christian to non-Christian etc.), you probably understand a bit of the "We and They" concept.

I've read and reread this at least a dozen times this week.  Of course I feel like I understand this (though I've probably only scratched the surface) because of my time in Africa, but it also easily applies to moving and ministering here in South Jersey... a very different culture to me.  It's astonishing how quickly we place others in the "they" category in (or out of) our lives.  In thinking more and more about the meaning of this poem in my life, it's become clear to me that this speaks so loudly of the things Christ came to abolish in this world.  I think in His eyes humanity is all "they".  I think He wants us to strive to be "We" (emphasis on the capital w to denote Christ-likeness and sanctification), but recognizes our imperfect human nature.  We are all "they".  One is not better than the other.  I'm always shocked and deeply saddened when I hear of present-day prejudices and racism.  It makes me physically ill to think about how prevalent these problems are all around the world in such a time of connectivity.  We have every bit of information available at our fingertips and we still choose to categorize one another.  

My prayer tonight is that Jesus would enable us to see the world through His perfect eyes.  That He would show us the hearts of His people and not just their outer appearance, material wealth, upbringing, social status, etc..  That we would love first instead of passing judgement or writing someone "we" think of as "they" off.

This passage has been close to my heart lately:  

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.   This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us.  Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

-1 John 4:7-21 (NIV, emphasis mine)

Help me love, Lord.