I allow most things to roll off my shoulders…I can turn the other cheek and go on in with my life.  But this time I cannot.  I want to voice how I feel.

The nativity scene is sacred to me.  It is a reminder of the hope I have in this sometimes ugly world. I have never felt anything but peace when I look at it, until last night.

Picture this: the nativity scene with these words printed on it, “Don’t forget to hate refugees as you set up your nativity scene.  Celebrating a middle eastern couple desperately looking for shelter.”  Oh people thought this Facebook post was hilarious.  Me, not so much.

Hate.  Christians hate the refugees?  I do not know one single person (christian or non christian) who hates the refugees.  The ones who do not want them in our country are feeling fear.  Fear and hate are two very different things.  The fear and wanting to protect their loved ones is not a product of their religion…but of all the scary things happening in this world.  Sometimes fear clouds the larger picture.

When I first heard about the refugees coming here I felt immense fear. I didn’t want them here. It wasn’t until someone posted something on Facebook, something honest and tactful, that I saw the larger picture.  I am a very sympathetic and sensitive person, but I too had a hard time seeing we should open our country to the them.  It had nothing to do with hate.

I love my family and the thought of a terrorist sneaking into our country scared the you know what out of me.  That was all I could see at first.  I wanted to protect my home above all else.  I now see we need to help others regardless of the fear we feel.  It is all because someone pointed it out in a kind way. I am not Jesus and sometimes need to be reminded of what Jesus would do in a particular situation.  I will always strive to be more like Him…and yet I will never fully get there.  None of us will.

With all that is happening in the world, can’t people take the high road and show some respect for sacred things?  Why is it okay to try to further separate people?  That is all that post accomplishes.  If you feel people are misinformed than there is a better way.  We can voice our opinions, our hopes, our fears, and our beliefs respectfully.  I would never ‘spit’ on something someone holds sacred.  No one should.

It just makes me sad.