It's Not the Only One

The wall: I see it everyday. A giant gray testament to the division so obviously present in this part of the world. Its ugly, cold, heartless existence reminds me daily that all is not well in the world. Harmony, love, peace—sounds like a naive fantasy.

I was at book club the other day. I didn’t read the book. But hey, I still feel like the new kid and wanted to make friends. So, when one of the other teachers invited me, I went. I love meeting new people and I love talking about books. It sounded fun. They were reading Go Set a Watchmen, Harper Lee’s new/ old book. It is all about racism, segregation, the ugliness of division. As we sat there and discussed the tragic, violent injustice that was present in the United States not so long ago, we began talking about divisions between people.

The woman sitting at the end of the table profoundly remarked “that wall that surrounds us is not the only wall here.” She’s so right. I see racial, religious, and political walls. And not just here, everywhere; this division between people is not a here problem. It’s a people problem. And it’s not a them problem. It’s a me problem.

I put up walls. I watch others put up walls as well. But, my job is not to tear their walls down. (I am an oldest child, naturally I love telling people exactly how they should start demolishing their walls. It’s not my fault I’m bossy, read The Birth Order Book.)

I want to tell others to stop reinforcing their walls. “Stop the division!” I want to say, yet I find myself compulsively trying to label people: Is that person a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian? “Stop the judgement!” I cry. Too often I catch myself casting judgement on complete strangers: Why does that woman bother covering her head if her jeans are skintight? “Stop the hate!” I scream. But why do I feel that nasty twisted knot in my heart when someone says something that I think is ignorant?

Division. Judgement. Hate.

How can I expect others to tear their walls down when I keep building and bolstering my own? So, I am going to pray for the strength to put my bricks down—to stop building walls of judgement, hate and fear. Only God can bring unity. Only He can empower us to put the bricks down. So, take a look around. Ask Him to show you.

Do you see the walls?