I think it’s imperative that in order to believe in a better
tomorrow, you must believe that people can change (the growing challenge now in hoping the future is better). Just thinking about my own
journey, I used to:
- be racist making fun of other races -- now, though not perfectly, I give utmost respect to every culture especially those disenfranchised;
- protest affirmative action – now I support it;
- think conservatives were idiots – now I feel genuine conservatives offer valuable input to society (while self-identified liberals hold conservative beliefs without knowing);
- be into politics in order to look down on others – then I was apathetic – and now I’m into it for the pursuit of equity;
- be a skeptical atheist – now I’m an enthusiastic Protestant;
- resent learning Chinese – now I’m committed to getting it;
- think myself the victim – now I’m aware more and more of pain I’ve caused people in the past.
I’m sure people will not like all these changes, but the
fact is I’m different from my past self. Satan loves nothing better than for us
to give into labeling and caricaturizing each other, where in reality we’re all
complex, ever-morphing onions.
Someone once said beliefs can be changed provided 1) someone
is intellectually convinced, 2) emotionally stirred, and 3) given the social space
to practice and live out those beliefs. May we strive to minister good holistically.
