Awash in biases
You see it everywhere. And not just in race relationship and acts of prejudice.
Even our relationships are marred in Spontaneous Automatic Biases that have been deeply ingrained in us from early childhood. Life experiences, parents, families, friends, culture, Hollywood, and the media all contribute to them.
With Hollywood, the media, and fashion industries setting the standards for what is culturally unappealing and what is attractive ( confident, wealthy, debonair, brash, smart, famous, passionate, tall, and very handsome men, and young, beautiful, attractive, fit, fashionable, blonde, and slim figure women,) one often sees men and women entangled in a web of biases that embroil one against the other. We are all burdened by such biased standards for beauty and appeal that only few of us can meet. The end result is many will experience the disappointment, discouragement, hurt and the unfairness of being biased against.
Spontaneous Automatic Biases (SAB) lead us to belittle and reduce our own value and that of others. It leads those who are prisoners of its evil grasp into a path of unfairly and immaturely accusing, persecuting, judging, and sentencing others before the benefit of a fair hearing.
SAB makes us view others (and at times even ourselves) instantaneously as guilty until proven innocent instead of innocent until proven guilty.
How many of us likes to be viewed as inferior, damaged goods, old and useless, lazy, fool, idiot and an imbecile until proven otherwise. Yet, this is how spontaneous automatic biases make us view others, and even ourselves, causing havoc and much damage to those on the receiving end.
Unfair biases hurt, demean, lessen, and can potentially destroy those subjected to them.
They can snuff off a young child’s dreams to be all what God created her or him to be.
They can shake the sense of value and worth in the hearts of both young and old.
SAB send an ominous sign and unloving message to its recipients declaring that the inner character, high moral standards, good hard work and discipline, and inherent God-given value of each and everyone is of no significance or worth.
Friends, changing our biases and our SAB can’t happen by reading more books, listening to more lectures, or even memorizing Biblical verses. Such a seismic change can only occur when we admit our biases to ourselves, invite God to dwell in us, and ask for His forgiveness for the wrongs that our biases have caused. Our hearts must begin to change starting with those erroneous thoughts and beliefs about ourselves and others. So, help us God.
Here are the thoughts and beliefs that must change, and be replaced by what’s right, true and excellent:
Thinking of ourselves (or of others) as better, greater, higher, and more valuable than others because of our race, color, wealth, degrees, looks, position, name or fame. God truly resists the proud, and pride comes before the fall as the Bible warns us.
Thinking of others ( or of ourselves) as less, inferior, of no value, unworthy, lazy, easy, dumb or insignificant because of their race, color, culture, looks, appearance, sex, handicap, religion, choices, life views, or age. God loves us all, and He offers forgiveness through Jesus Christ to everyone regardless of color, race, looks, or wealth as the Bible tells us.
Today, we live in a world littered with the toxic effects of biases and prejudices. Many are hurt, and as the saying goes “Hurting people, hurt people.” I’m guided today by two Biblical verse that steady my response and calm my soul when I’m subjected to the flaming arrows of SAB. I hope that you too will find solace in these two verses.
Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.
Proverb 20:22
Do not be
overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21