Set Apart - appreciatively

Not once but times enough for me to sit up and heed what was being said. “ You, out of so many around me, reacted differently… and I think I know why, it is because of who you are.. you are …….” “….After what had been done to their son, we were sure all hell would definitely break loose, we went in great trepidation, apologetic for our mistake, fearfully expecting the worst …..but that was not to be….. calm and serenely they spoke, easing us of all guilt and remorse….. we left taking back with us a sense of deep respect for them…they had moved up several notches higher in esteem, awe, regard and admiration from us all…only they could bring this about…..no one else could have reacted this way and that only because they are…….” …you are…….. aren’t you..? Why don’t you tell everyone in this room what really happened that day …. ?” “…in all of my years of service, today was the day when I felt truly appreciated and accepted as an equal without the stigma and discrimination of caste, creed and status…. and I can say it is because I was in the company of those like yourself… you who are….” If you haven’t guessed by now, all of the expressions of admiration, accolades of approving praise that you just read, were tributes to that one word- CHRISTIAN – a word of Greek and Latin origin - a word standing both as a noun and as an adjective dating way back to Middle English- in fact first recorded as being used in Antioch as is described in the Book of Acts of the Bible. You may have noticed that together with the mention of the word CHRISTIAN, pop up ‘good’, ‘noble’, ‘decent’, ‘kind’, ‘forgiving’- words synonymously inseparable and only so for the meaning it carries – being Christ-like. Looked upon by many with an anticipation of sorts I ask, ‘Is it used as an accreditation? Should it be shown off as a credential of honour or shied away from because we do not want to live up to those expectations? Or is it a brand name worn short of its authenticity? ’ I doff my hat to those unabashed and brazen for whom the label is ( effortlessly) life itself.