Listen to elders....

I had a wonderful conversation with an elder by the name of MJ. She has accomplished a lot of "firsts" in her life and she decided to sit down with me and discuss the differences between "prejudice" and "racism" from the oppressed point of view...

Here is the conversation.

Khalil: Good afternoon MJ, thank you for sharing your time and wisdom with me.

MJ: You are welcome. THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING ME!!!!

Khalil: I wanted to ask you what is your understanding of prejudice and racism?.

MJ ( she listens to my question... closes her eyes and clasps her hands together... After five minutes of meditating on the question she starts to reply...)  Well, this is one question that I often think about because they're the same at face value but when one digs deep into these words, they are quite different.

Khalil: Different. Please explain.

MJ:  Well people have always had prejudice or people have "pre-judgements" about their encounters, people and choices... For example, I like red, orange, purple, green, yellow, white jelly beans. I do not not like the black jelly beans because they remind me of black beans that I eat for dinner which have a bitter taste to me.

What is my prejudice.... I equate black jelly beans to black beans. I am also equating the taste of black jelly beans  to the bitter taste of black beans.

Khalil: So your judgment/ memory of black jelly beans is based on your taste buds'  bitter experience of black beans?

MJ: Yes. Prejudice is predicated on my memories that are either bitter or sweet.

Khalil: So what is racism?

MJ: Racism is an extreme case of prejudice..
Racism starts as prejudice but ends in extreme institutionalized behaviors to systematically eradicate the presence and memory of the object, people or subject.

Khalil: Please give an example.

MJ: Well Europeans' concept of anything dark is to be feared  and destroyed.. If you review the European lexicon of words pertaining to black... the words are always negative. So if the worldview in words are negative, people who are black are also viewed in the same way.

So it is not a mistake that in the current Western World people with color in their skin have suffered racism in poor educational development, poor economic pursuits and in the inconvenience of being... thus causing people with color in their skin as being viewed not only negatively but by being invisible.

Khalil: So basically racism starts off as prejudice until it turns to an extreme view of the systematic eradication of a person's prejudgment.

MJ: Yes.

After hearing these words, I realize that people have prejudice but few can be racist.... Based on my conversation with MJ, racism is practiced by a few in the power chairs of society.

Being tested..

Matthew 4:1  " Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt Him.....


         The story of Jesus' development should not be read just religiously, it should be read as an aid to those who will eventually embark into the multidimensional facets of experience called "life".  Such was the case of Jesus; he was in his prime at 30.  He studied the sacred scriptures of his ancestors and he truly believed that Yahweh (God) was with him..... imagine he was formed and shaped by the very people and culture of his people the Jews. So he was ready to tackle the world.

         It happened that one day he saw his cousin who was already in ministry named John the Baptist. He was the first example that Jesus saw who creatively lived out his life in service to others... He baptized people  in the Jordan River. Whatever this event was, it galvanized people in the local community; it even brought prominent church leaders to the service who corrupted themselves by hiding the true meaning of service in the others. These leaders did not inform nor teach the people about the process of who Yahweh was and what was required.  John believed that in everybody's life, there is a wilderness element where no one but you and Yahweh must meet.  Yahweh takes what we perceive as human ingenuity away from us so that we learn to depend on Yahweh and not our own accomplishments.  John the Baptist called them out saying that these people should not come to such a service because they were the standard cause of the people's failure to truly have a powerful relationship with Yahweh; John even called them a "brood of vipers" and to "produce the fruits that they originally gave their lives to in study and practice"..... While this exchange was going on... Jesus came to the Jordan and something unexpected happen; Yahweh sent a beautiful white dove down upon Jesus' head to represent that his spiritual maturity was strong and the choice to serve Yahweh was the most important work that up to this time was seldom followed; Jesus in that moment showed that he superseded the likes of  David and Solomon. John testified to Jesus' acknowledgement but that was the first step. The next step was the test: from Yahweh.

         Jesus is now in the wilderness.... He has been in this place for a period of 40 days/40 nights; he is hungry and does not see any relief in sight.  He looks at the place where he is and he sees small stones around him that reminds him of his mother's fresh baked breads that she used to sustain him and their families. He sees bread.... Then he hears a contrary voice within him. This is the spirit/voice of Satan. The voice says "I've been watching you for sometimes now, and I see that you are serious about serving Yahweh.... very impressive!!!!! but if you are willing to serve Yahweh, why are you living without bread.  You've been out here in no man's land and you are hungry, what god would allow his/her followers to suffer hunger and basic needs? maybe your ardor for Yahweh is a bit misplaced...... Jesus heard these words inside himself, not from a contrary place.  His physical body was famished; his spirit was strong. He thought about his ancestors the Hebrews during this time to take his mind away from his physical needs. He remembered how the Hebrews under Moses were slaves in Egypt and they were under a harsh taskmaster called Pharaoh.  Pharaoh was the corrupt leader of Egypt who forced the Hebrews make their stones from straw. After these continuous ordeals and their quiet yet spiritual cries to Yahweh, Yahweh sent Moses as their emancipator. With continuous negotiations that went no where and wonders that eventually cost Pharaoh's son to die, Pharaoh let the ancient Hebrews go to their freedom. They were free but like Jesus they were led into the wilderness.

          Jesus understood what the wilderness represented and he was willing to stay in that place until Yahweh moved him..... My God, Jesus was willing... are you willing to wait on God who controls every facet of life like Jesus did. It was not easy and Jesus was physically hungry. As young people in the 21st century we are in the wilderness of economic starvation where the promises of America's wealth in good paying jobs are currently compromised.  We are suffering in large amount of debts that strangle our creativeness in finding our places in this country and world. The wilderness experience is essential for finding God; we will also experience Satan in our thinking and imaginations as well. Whenever you find deceptive ways to manipulate others for your comfort, that is the voice of Satan. Jesus was committed and his commitment was verbalized in the following statement to Satan... "It is written, People do not live on bread alone but by the words which comes from the mouth of God...."  Jesus identified with God's word. This is the answer to our plight as young people... we are currently struggling for survival and it seems as though we cannot find any relief. The more we struggle, the more resistance we face.  Know this as Jesus said, We live on God's word for our lives. God's word may be severe when it comes to aspects of our existence: We may experience hunger, famine and want. Know that God's word placed you there. Not for you but maybe for others like myself who sits down and reads testimonies of people like Jesus and others who suffered and survived.  I look towards these testimonies and stories because they give me strength to live my best life now.

I hope these words will inspire you and give you strength to find yourself in the wilderness phases of your experience.