Stereotypes have existed pretty much since the beginning of time. Everyone makes snap judgments within the first few minutes of meeting someone; That’s just basic psychology, but that doesn’t make it right. How do we, as Christians, fight the urge to make those snap judgments?

The first thing to remember is that we are all human. We are all scarred and flawed. With that in mind, I think it’s important to remember “The Golden Rule” so to speak: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do you really want others taking one look at you and assuming things that aren’t true? Why would anyone want that? So why do you do it others?

The second thing is that stereotypes are man-made. In no way do they come from the love of God. When Jesus was on earth, he ignored stereotypes. He dined with tax payers and conversed with prostitutes. He healed those with leprosy even though they were ignored by everyone else. The famous John 3:16 verse says, “For God so loved the WORLD” God does not love certain people or groups of people but everyone; that’s kind of what “unconditional” means.

Stereotypes are based off of labels. “She’s wearing flannel; she must be a lesbian” etc. I think half the battle with stereotypes is whether or not you accept those labels. You are in charge of what you think about yourself. The fact of the matter is, the only label that matters is the one that tells you that you are loved, desired, and enough. You are not those stereotypes. You cannot be summed up in one potentially offensive sentence.

Now moving on to those who willingly believe or encourage stereotypes of others. They might not be attacking an entire group, but more likely a singular person. It could be a person they’ve never even talked to, but they seem to know exactly who they are. But of course they really don’t. I made the mistake of thinking that Christians are exempt from judging someone based on appearance, but I have recently learned that we are far from it.

As Christians, we are called to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a bringer of God’s love to everyone. So then, how can one call themselves a Christian while simultaneously berating their fellow man? We are called to love everyone even if they don’t fit our standards.

Truth is, there is no way you can know someone’s story by judging their appearance or listening to rumors. Your words can do more damage than you know. The next step in ignoring stereotypes is to make a conscious decision to ignore them. Instead, focus on the fact that the person you want to judge is loved by God, just like you. With a little more conscious decisions to choose not to make snap judgements, the world can be a happier place.