Our theme for Eastertide is finding joy as we faithfully do the small things, so today we will look at how to rehumanize people.
This may seem like a strange theme, because we don't have many people walking around going "Wow, I am sure dehumanizing a lot of people!", but our actions show that we have been dehumanizing people for quite a while.
We dehumanize people when we treat them like a good or service for our convenience. Are we treating waiters, cashiers, and gas station attendants as humans made in the image of God? Are we tipping them like they, as human beings, deserve to put food on their table after they work an eight-hour shift? If not, let us change the way we treat and tip those in the service industry.
We dehumanize people when we treat them like they are invisible or diseased. Are we making eye contact with the people holding signs at intersections? Are we willing to approach them to share from our abundance? If not, let us acknowledge the humanity of those society has pushed to the margins.
We dehumanize people when we call them names. Monster. Criminal. Addict. Idiot. Murderer. Are we using our words to build people up and encourage them? Do we view our opponents as human beings, trying to make what they believe are good decisions? If not, let us apologize when our words cut people down and insult them.
We dehumanize people when we say that violence is the only thing those people understand. Do we realize we can negotiate and compromise with people who disagree with us? Do we encourage non-violent solutions to problems? Many people act like we are in "zero-sum games" (either I win & you lose OR I lose and you win), but it is possible to reach compromises that are mutually beneficial to both parties. If not, let us problem-solve creatively to find solutions that each person involved can live with.
We dehumanize people when we lump them into large categories and stereotype them. Do we view the person we are interacting with as their own unique person who is influenced by their culture, gender, upbringing, and other attributes in a special combination that makes them unique? Are we aware of our biases and stereotypes so we can identify them in our minds and words? If not, let us pray for the wisdom to identify these flaws in our thinking as we actively work to retrain our brain in how we perceive people.
We dehumanize people when we treat some lives as less valuable because they are not our nationality, religion, or ethnic group. Are we just as concerned for the child seeking asylum as we are for the border patrol agent? Are we just as concerned about the redemption of the terrorist as the safety of those they are persecuting? If not, let us seek to advocate for the good of all people, instead of just "my people".
We dehumanize people when we use animalistic descriptions to describe people. Calling someone a boar, an ape, or a rat. Do we intentionally choose to use positive and humane descriptions of people? Are we careful to consider how our word choice can be hurtful to others? Do we apologize and change our phrasing when we are told that our words have hurt a person? If not, let us be humble and teachable as we learn what words and actions hurt the people we interact with.
We dehumanize people when we spew our anger, frustration, or pain at whoever is near us. Do we utilize self-control when we are upset? Do we seek to express our negative emotions in appropriate ways (in the proper place, time, and setting)? Do we make sure we are attacking the problem and not the person nearest to us? Are we talking directly to the person we have a problem with? If not, let us treat the people around us as individuals who get to decide if they want to hear our frustrations AND if that moment & setting is the best time to open that "can of worms".
We dehumanize people when we use sarcasm, mockery, or ridicule to cut people down. Do we avoid giving back-handed compliments that feel like a compliment with a barbed tail? (Oftentimes, adding a qualifier to a compliment makes it insulting. "You are a good driver, for a woman." can be insulting, whereas "You are a good driver." is a compliment.) Are we willing to consider that things we and our culture view as funny can be hurtful to people? If not, let us seek to build up our empathy, compassion, and discernment.
We dehumanize people when we boil a person's life down to an adjective or description that absolves us of compassion, mercy, and grace. Illegal. Evil. Heartless. Despicable. Do we view people as capable of being redeemed if they repent? Do we act like we believe that God's forgiveness can wash out any sin a person has committed and repented of? If not, let us repent of our judgment and condemnation of those God has forgiven.
Do you see why we need to start rehumanizing people? I very rarely venture onto social media because the statuses, memes, and links people share are often toxic, dehumanizing, cruel, and self-righteous. It breaks my heart to see normally loving and kind Christians belittle, mock, and shame their opponents. The "normal" way that we treat people is not how God has called us to treat people. We are not loving our neighbors as ourselves when we share that post that depicts our side as the long-suffering good and the other side as "evil personified".
People think that dehumanizing others only hurts those who are being dehumanized, but it actually warps two souls: the one being dehumanized and the one doing the dehumanizing. Both souls are in need of redemption. One soul is shredded due to being dehumanized, but the other soul is rotting from dehumanizing others. Both need healing and reconciled to God and to each other.
It is my prayer that we learn to see the humanity in those who disagree with us. This is not something we can do on our own strength; we can only do this by the grace of God. When we learn to see the humanity of our opponents, then the Holy Spirit will begin the process of decontaminating our souls from the filth and damage caused by dehumanizing those around us.
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