Judge not that ye be not judged. – Matthew 7:1
Individuals are so quick to say that they care for, love or respect someone without truly knowing or even understanding what all is involved with the use of these terms. I personally not only want one’s declaration of love or respect, but I also want the corresponding actions that are supposed to go along with the use of these terms.
Thus the reason for what I believe is a much needed lesson in R.A.C.E relations.
Now, this lesson in R.A.C.E. relations is more than likely not what you are probably expecting. It’s not concerning the issue of skin color or discrimination (well at least not directly). R.A.C.E. relations for the purposes of this passage is regarding how we as human beings are mandated to treat one another.
The acronym R.A.C.E. stands for:
R – Respect
A – Appreciation
C – Cooperation
E – Encouragement
Sounds simple enough.
However, experience has taught me that sometimes the simplest things can sometimes be the hardest to understand. I was blessed with this simple yet complex analogy one afternoon and at that very moment it occurred to me just how amazingly the smallest pearls of wisdom can convey the most profound sentiments (Good looking out, G!). I say the acronym R.A.C.E. is “simple yet complex” because the methodology is simple in the manner in which it is delivered to the listener, yet complex in the manner in which it is put into action.
John Cogley Commonweal once said:
"Tolerance implies a respect for another person, not because he is wrong or even because he is right, but because he is human."
In a nutshell, I believe he was saying that nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes. This writer has made his fair share. Yet we live in a society that will literally ostracize someone because of a momentary weakness of character. Now, don’t get it twisted…… Karma is not a respecter of persons. What you sow you will most certainly reap. Nevertheless, forgiveness is the zero sum quotient that we ALL should operate from. I know that sometimes that can be easier said than done (Trust me I TRULY understand). However, that does not give the abuser an excuse to continue abusing. Turning the other cheek is all good and everything….. but you only have two. We are mandated to forgive but we are NOT….. I repeat NOT ……..to be anyone’s doormat.
The beautiful thing about the R.A.C.E. acronym is that it can be applied to so many different aspects of the human condition and human relationships. The four components of the acronym speak to practically every situation that we as human beings will face on an everyday basis. To this writer it is merely a shorter version of that age old adage “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. In a perfect world we would be able to respect, appreciate, cooperate, and encourage someone and the recipient would reciprocate in kind.
I guess I don’t have to tell you that this world that we live in is far from perfect.
Everyday - if we are truly honest with ourselves - we see examples of an imperfect world trying to hold people to standards of perfection. Show me someone who thinks they are always right and I will show you someone that is seriously delusional. No one knows everything. Everyday that we live we are learning or at least we are supposed to be. Life is a lesson and the lessons aren’t always pleasant. We experience things for a reason. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding any situation, there is a lesson to be taken from it. The important thing is to learn the lesson. The problem is …. We are too busy reacting to what’s happening to us ….. instead of understanding that everything happens for a reason and that nothing in this life is accidental or coincidental.
Those of us with a relationship and connection to our Creator understand the R.A.C.E. acronym. The beautiful thing for those of us with a connection and relationship to our Creator is that we understand that we have been made promises and that with the completion of every lesson we come that much closer to those promises being fulfilled in our lives. We truly understand that because of our relationship with our Creator we are not to provide anything less than the utmost Respect, Appreciation, Cooperation, and Encouragement to every single solitary individual that we meet and not to accept or tolerate anything less than what we give in return.
So in closing here is just small piece of advice. The very next time someone tells you that they love you or are down for you..... ask them are they willing to R.A.C.E. you. Their answer (for better or for worse) may just surprise you.
