“Hold your horses, don’t get too big for your britches,” was an “old time saying…”
This weekend we are talking about “MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS.”
People that seemingly just “DO NOT FIT IN” or are somehow “seemingly DIFFERENT”…and so they are “ostracized…”
I tell you…LEPERS are “a plenty.”
Dependent upon WHO YOU ARE and WHERE YOU LIVE, the number of LEPERS almost seems to be “never ending…”
Significant “DISPARITIES” exist for marginalized people in EVERY ASPECT of their lives such as health care, employment, legal rights under the law, housing, and even in access to certain services.
They are often “the SILENT and INVISIBLE VICTIMS” of “discrimination,” “violence,” “social stigma,” and “assault.”
It could be a “mother tongue” that they are speaking…or a certain foreign style of dress…or their creed or their color…for “whatever reason” they are seen as being DIFFERENT by US.
“THEY” are not like “US!”
Sometimes they are “ABUSED by BULLIES” and “PREDATORS” or “EXPLOITED” and “MISTREATED” by caregivers, family members, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, and even by professional persons.
…When we are talking about THE “marginalized” we are talking about ANYONE “the least bit different” from us…
Again, for whatever reason they DO NOT fit in…according to “OUR SET OF STANDARDS.”
Those of us who feel a sense of “PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT” in our lives – may see or view “the marginalized” as being “THE OTHER…”
The “marginalized” are “very skilled” sometimes in keeping “a low profile” usually out of necessity.
They have been “repeatedly hurt,” and are more than aware of the stereotypes applied to “their group.”
THEY are all around US, right in our community, on the job, or residing in our own neighborhoods. They could even be our children, siblings, relatives, co-workers, neighbors, and are partners.
They are LOOKED DOWN UPON, they are seen as being somehow “LESS THAN.”
Everyone we know has at least SOMEONE who happens to be a “marginalized person” within their wider network.
We are “ALL GUARANTEED” that over the course of OUR LIFESPAN that we will ALL have “physical,” “mental,” and “emotional issues” that will make us – “a marginalized person as well.”
None of us are “IMMUNE” from injury, disease, mental illness, and the changes due to AGING. The marginalized are sometimes seen as being “EASY PREY.”
“A current listing” of “marginalized persons” (The list may surprise you) included:
LGBTQ+, Senior Citizens, “Racial and Cultural Minorities,” Military Combat Veterans, Persons of below average intelligence, Individuals suffering from Hearing or Vision loss and all Physically Challenged persons, Individuals with Serious and Persistent Mental Disorders, Cognitive Impairments, Gamblers and Substance abusers, Autism Spectrum persons, Gifted and Talented persons, Persons with Disfigurements, persons living in poverty, Sex offenders and the Homeless and Felon populations…
I tell you the list is “EVER growing…”
NO ONE wants to be on this list. No one wants to appear to be DIFFERENT. People just want to “live their life” as best as they can…and AUTHENTICALLY be themselves…
We know HOW Jesus acted toward the MARGINALIZED, of his day and time. We know of his “compassion, “mercy” and “love”…his “acceptance” of the whole PERSON.
We know further, that from the beginning to the end of the Scriptures, the marginalized are “lifted up…”
So, how did WE get HERE?
And more important, “how do WE get OUT of HERE?”
Just WHO do we think WE ARE?
How dare we, (seriously,) HOW DARE WE…even entertain such ideas…
“Getting a little bit too big for our britches” – are WE?
The time to stop this nonsense is NOW!
Amen.