Living Together with Respect

by Russell B. Hilliard, Sr.

I have had deep respect for Jewish persons since I played percussion instruments with a Jewish friend in our marching band in high school. Also, when I became a Christian, I began to see how the New Testament was rooted in the Old Testament.

Consequently, my love of the Hebrew nation grew as I grew in understanding. It has grown once more recently when my wife read to me The Color of Water. Here we discovered the remarkable story of a Polish immigrant, an extra- ordinary Jewish lady, written by Prize-winning author James McBride. The Color of Water is both human and humorous.

Yet, the years have taught us that violence leads only to more
violence, that we are even to “love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew
5:44 NIV). Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived by these words of Jesus.
This was his walk, and he walked it with compassion, conviction, and
courage.

The great mystics of the Islamic world sought a deep and living
spirituality for centuries. Equally there are extremists in many
nations that seek to make their point by destructive means, as we saw
at Columbine and in Oklahoma City. Not always but frequently, these
extremists are the products of poverty and rejection. The Secretary of
State, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, stated recently that two billion
persons live on two dollars a day (from a hearing on C-Span). Under the
umbrella of such poverty and rejection, extremists are born and bred.

Basically, we do not respect one another because we do not know
each other. We have not touched each other or felt the pain of each
other’s lives and longings. We frequently do not even like-much less
love-persons who are different from us.

At last we have a fresh opportunity to become partners in a
global world. If we extend our hand of good will and it is rejected, I
believe that we are taught in our holy books to extend our hand again
and again. We are called to live in a way that will not endanger any
persons or engender prejudice or rejection. Even in the marriage of two
persons, for love to grow and last for 57 years, both must respect each
other and seek to build up each other. If that is true between only two
persons, how much more it must be necessary for nations!

As we have dramatically seen in the economic meltdown of recent
months, we humans all live on the same planet. We have observed once
again how we either experience meltdown or enjoy prosperity together.

For us to love and respect one another, we do not have to agree
or change our view. We simply must take the other by the hand with an
understanding heart. If the other chooses to reject us and even destroy
us, great men like Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would
still choose non-violence. By their example we are inspired and
instructed to lay down the sword and instruments we use to hurt one
another.

There is still time to attempt goodness, to build bridges of
bread and brokenness. Now we are beginning a new day of dialogue
without rushing to destroy. May this day bring hope, light, and peace
to our neighbors in our global world, whether they be Jewish, Muslim,
Christian or of other faiths.

May we take up our holy books and live by them, not by the
lethal armaments of men, but by the laws of God — and, with civility,
come to understand both our sacred books and each other!