Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?

Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?

Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”                                        Mark 10:27 (NASV)

 By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

Have you ever witnessed children playing games and they lose their identity and become somebody else?

Well in games this may not seem to be such a problem, however in life it can lead to a lack of self-esteem, denial of one’s identity  and destruction of a race of people.

In the early 40’s there was an experiment done with Back children using White baby dolls.

Kenneth B. and Mamie Phipps Clark were Black psychologists who as a married team, conducted significant studies among Black children, one in particular was the one using the white dolls to prove inferiority complex created by racial segregation.

Some 40-50 years after the Clarks’ experiment, a documentary was done and the same thing existed and validated associating White with being “pretty” or “good” and Black with “ugly” or “bad”. The dolls used in the documentary were identical except for skin color.

Here we are today, suffering from this mind set created thousands of years ago and yet we have not been able to shake it.

In the case of Nathanael, he found favor in God’s eye even though he asked the question, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

For whatever reasons that some of us have chosen to disbelieve that we are of any value, conscience or significance, let’s go back to when we first encountered this misconception of our self worth.

At what point did we realize we came from stock that was inferior, that our parents and grandparents were subhuman and downright pitiful?

Now think about what propelled you to succeed when we had to overcome from having less and needing more?

When did we lose our compassion of helping our own and replacing it with the need to push them down so society would not see our kindred looks of similarity?

Who do you root for in the confines of your secluded homes, hidden from the outside world where no one can see you or hear you yell your preference on to victory?

Don’t forget that we are just a generation away from ripping the head off someone when they called you the N-word.

Oh, perhaps you believe that Mr. Charlie’s ice is colder than Mr. Leroy’s and that, “You are not like them”, is a pass that you can use to escape being the N-word?

When I reread the Book of John Chapter 1:35-49 as it talks about the first disciples, I understand Nathanael a little better.

Even though he questioned the probability of something good coming from a place associated with anything but good, his heart was in the right place.

Jesus knew that Nathanael’s heart was good because He said Nathanael had no guile (deceit).

Can the same thing be said of us when we ostracize, condemn and profane the character of our own?

Are we subjecting others that look like us to humiliating circumstances because we are suffering from the White doll baby syndrome or is it that we want to be the that White doll baby and we know damn well that we can’t!

Its time for us to move on pass wanting to bleach our skin, and add long silky blonde hair to our beautiful nappy hair and quit trying to improve on God given attributes through a false sense of being accepted by them.

When we are shaped by and react to the expectations of others, we are lost and trying to find our way is a deadly game.

     God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.                                                  Genesis 1:27 (NASV)

     WHAT GOD HAS MADE NEEDS NO MAN MADE APPROVALS OR IMPROVEMENTS.