The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor has a quotation by Emma Lazarus: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” These words beckon people worldwide to find acceptance in our country. Yet despite this noble expression of welcome, some people struggle to enjoy the promise of full acceptance and economic progress. Their disappointment may come from racial prejudice or social exclusion by those who profit from keeping groups apart. Profiteers often take advantage of the poor, the uneducated, and those without connections in high places. One way to overcome fear and prejudice is accepting and living the truth God drilled into the Apostle Peter while he was sleeping on the rooftop of his friend’s house. We read in Acts chapter 10 that Jesus told Peter and us that the prejudice and fears we hold toward others is unfounded, and as a follower of Christ we should get over it. We should get over it so God’s kingdom agenda in the world can be fulfilled.
