Daily Inspiration 3-12-17

"Prejudice is to prejudge. 

It means that we judge before we know. 

We choose or accept a point of view 

without care or concern, 

and we do that out of fear." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

We often think of prejudice as being about the color or our skin, the culture out of context with our own, and gender-related issues even within our own tribes--you know, big things. But, I think that prejudice is far more widespread than this, and it is spread in popular expressions and popular points of view.

No matter big or small, widespread or privately held, it is all fear-based, every bit of it. Facts are immaterial. Truth is immaterial in this realm. It is simply fear, and as we spread any of it whether, from our own point of view or ones that we align to, it is simply spreading and raising more fear.

I'll give you a small example I saw yesterday on Facebook. There was a shared post of a big scary roller coaster. The video was funny as all get out, so I made a posted a comment about how funny it was. Another commented that they wouldn't dare ride that thing because of the low-quality Chinese steel.

Now, I'm certain that this person has no idea which country the steel was made in or even the tested quality of it, and yet this fear is spread of Chinese steel. Not only that, all steel from China is lumped into one pot of being all low-quality, and obviously cheap or it wouldn't sell. This is fake news, and you can see it all around.

I thought about making a comment, but it isn't my job to correct that person, but only to correct my own thoughts expressed or hidden. Instead, I blessed this person and that comment.

From this perspective, it seems a given that each and every one of us is prejudiced in some manner, and it is most likely that we don't even know we are doing it.

It is well worthy of the small effort it takes to become aware of what we are saying vocally, in writing, and in any form of our communication. And, here is a very easy question to answer to help us to not prejudge:

"Do I really know what I am saying is true?" And then, "Is what I am saying coming from fear or love?"

That's it. Am I coming from fear, promoting fear, spreading fear, repeating things I heard from fear, sharing fearful thoughts and commonly accepted expressions? If the answer is yes. There is an opportunity to choose love instead.

There is so much negative news from most media sources, but we can choose to see beyond that. We can choose to bless those people or things, or ideas in the negative spotlight and we can see with different eyes.

I love these words from Paul Selig from his book, The Book of Mastery:

"What you bless you lift; what you damn, what you curse, you cast out. . . When you cast something into the darkness, you actually give it power. . . a blessing is the placement of God upon the thing you see. . . you bring the action of the Divine to bear on this very thing, and it transforms . . ." 


We Are Choosing Love Or Fear Every Single Day. 

Spread Some Joy Today--as you choose love. Again. And. Again.