Earlier this week, I had lunch at a business I know is not Christian-owned, but they have some of the best Christmas decorations of any restaurant I’ve been to yet this season. They do it because they want to support their Christian brothers and sisters who do celebrate Christmas.
They could easily instead say things like, ‘This is not a Christian-owned business. We will deny service to those wearing Christmas-themed clothes as it goes against our beliefs.’ But, instead, they choose to support one another and their community regardless of their beliefs.
I am reminded of how many businesses I’ve heard of denying services to people due to their beliefs. For example, businesses that refuse services to gay couples because gay goes against their beliefs. But what if these businesses took the approach of supporting one another regardless of beliefs?
I’m not even talking about discrimination based on physical appearances, as I’ve been discriminated against because I’m Korean. But I’m talking about discrimination based on things people wouldn’t know about you unless you told them. Someone cannot see another person is Christian or gay, only by outward appearance.
I have many characteristics someone wouldn’t know about me unless I told them – I’m adopted, colorblind, have hearing loss in one ear, etc. The number of times I’ve been denied services based on one of these characteristics that I don’t have control over is more than I can count.
This holiday season, I encourage you to remember that even if two people look the same on the outside, they are still different people on the inside. One person cannot know the beliefs and internal struggles of another person without being told. So, let us look beyond the things we cannot see and let us love and support one another.
