Ashamed!

There were two young women, very successful in business, who were reputed to have denied their family origins.  When asked about her mother, the first one simply lied, "She died."  The mother was alive, well, very poor, and living in the same very small town where the woman was born and raised.

The second one was shopping with her mother and saw someone she considered 'very important' in the distance.  She ordered her mother, "Don't say you're my mother."

Then there was the rich young man, living in one of the largest cities in the world. He wanted to marry a beautiful younger woman who had asked, "Have you been married before? Do you have children?  I don't want to be married to anyone who has 'baggage.' "  He quickly answered, "Oh, no."

The man actually went so far as to completely fabricate his origins.  He created a family background from another large city, far away, with a wealthy family too busy to come to their wedding.  "Oh, they're in South America for a while," he told his bride.

Why were they so ashamed?  They were undoubtedly all affected by 'taunting' from children at school.  They were ridiculed for their clothes, ridiculed for the size of their families, insulted for the houses where they lived, all from those who enjoyed a slightly higher standard of living. This is human nature.  Many people like to know that there are others less well-off than themselves.  This makes them feel more important.

I can fully relate to this!  Coming from the Commonwealth of Kentucky (that's what our state calls itself), beginning in my childhood, I've heard many insults, seemingly in an attempt at humor.  Yes, compared to most other states, Kentucky doesn't have the money they have. We have the highest rate of cancer and the highest percentage of smokers in the United States.  Kentucky spends one of the lowest per capita amounts in the country on our children's education.  The federal government has poured millions of dollars into the Eastern Kentucky mountain region to attempt to cure 'poverty.'

As a result, nearly everyone coming from Kentucky is considered "backwoods" by people who don't know better.  One time I met someone and they looked at me and commented, "You wear shoes?"  No kidding!  Another time I was asked, "Do all your children have their own beds?"

This 'reputation' is mostly undeserved and comes from pure ignorance of our state, but also by past media portrayals.  No one calls us 'backwoods' at the Kentucky Derby!  No one called us 'backwoods' when the Queen of England came to Lexington to buy horses!  No one called us 'backwoods' when the 2010 World Equestrian Games was held in the Kentucky Horse park.  Yes, we have horses, we have coal, but much more!

Personally, I consider Kentucky to be the Most Civilized State in America, in the world, in the universe.  We have manners!  I've traveled many places in the world and still believe our people are the friendliest, kindest, and most welcoming.  Travel north to south, drive from Ashland in the east to Paducah in the west, and tell me how beautiful are our rolling hills, mountains, and our lakes!  We have much to offer.

So: think about yourself: have you ever made fun of someone because of their poverty? their family origins?  where they lived growing up?  Or have you been a victim of this?  Can we stop this cycle of hurting others?  It begins with each and every one of us.

Final thought: those three people at the beginning of this blog were the product of their origins.  Their families must have done something right!!

Lord, we remember how You were mocked, stripped, insulted, taunted, tortured, and killed.  If we are insulted, help us to overcome it.  If we are the aggressors, help us to know what hurt we cause and stop.  Help us always want to spread Your Love!