can i get a little respect please?

we all want to be respected, valued, loved. its easy (usually) to respect, value and love people who are like us - you know - middle class, working, church going, clean folk! but how respectful are we of those, who for whatever reason, find themselves on the street, poor, homeless, dirty. oh we can feel sorry for 'them', ease our guilt over our excess by handing out free stuff to 'them'. but do we really show respect, value and love? the fact that we use 'us' and 'them' is disrespectful in itself. we throw around derogatory terms to classify 'them' - street people, prostitutes, drug addicts, (fill in your own word).
yes, we can help out with physical needs but until we can show genuine respect and love we are really very ineffective. until there is no line between 'us' and 'them', but there is only 'we', can the real work begin. for ourselves also. 'we' have a lot to learn from 'them'. spend time downtown, at UGM, wherever and you will discover this.
Christ didn't care about social standing, money or religion. He did care deeply for those on the fringes, outcasts if you will. he showed them real respect, real value, real love.
i wonder how comfortable some of 'those' folks would feel walking into our churches. would they feel the 'us' and 'them' mentality? would the prostitute feel welcome and loved? or would she feel singled out? would the drug addict feel respected and valued? would the homeless feel they belonged? or would they sense the great divide... sympathy but not value.
i hope not.
this Christmas season, if you are helping out in any way remember that showing respect goes a long way....