“Man Cannot Fly”, a poem by Bruce Lee:
“The doubters said, “Man cannot fly,”
The doers said, “Maybe, but we’ll try,”
And finally soared in the morning glow
While non-believers watched from below.”
Bruce Lee was a phenomenal human being. From his influential writings and martial arts skills, he changed the lives of countless people. His movies, and fighting prowess, were influential on me as a young person. He sparked an interest in me to learn more about martial arts and their origin. Eventually, this study opened my eyes to the beauty and wonder of Chinese culture. For a kid from the mountains of northwest Washington, China felt like a place of fantasy and incredible history.
Content of Character
I have been blessed to have parents who reinforced in me what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously taught. What matters is not the color of one’s skin or the country of one’s origin, but the content of one’s character.
It would have been easy for my father to hold a grudge or carry malice in his heart against Asians. He spent his late teenage years fighting in a war on Korean soil. He carried a bullet, lodged near his spine, from that war for the rest of his life. My dad also carried the trauma of being in a foxhole while artillery shells exploded all around him. One landed so close that it killed his best friend as he lay in the hole beside my dad. My dad’s brother also fought in Vietnam during his young life. But, from my earliest memories until the end of their lives, I never heard them utter one racist word. In fact, I was taught just the opposite. I was taught to look at the individual and see them for who they are, not what they looked like.
No place for hate
These examples in my youth helped prepare me to serve a mission in another Asian country, Thailand. Judgments based on my appearance were frequent during my time in Thailand. I was a blonde, white, American, Christian missionary surrounded by black-haired Buddhists. I was spit on, threatened, and cussed at more times than I could count. In this country, I was an unwanted minority. And I became a target of racism because of my skin color, nationality, and religion. Yet, I was also respected and loved by many others who were willing to get to know me. Serving in Thailand, I came to love the people and their culture with all my heart.
My time in Thailand reinforced the lessons I had been taught by my parents. My desire to share the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ increased even more. Hatred, prejudice, and racism are tools Satan uses to blind our eyes, deafen our ears, and close our mouths.
Maybe we’ll try
What can be done to fight back against this foe who fosters such hatred? Some would say “Man cannot fly”, but I would say “Maybe we’ll try”. Only by living and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ can we unite and bring peace to people of all races and nationalities. Let us soar above hate and prejudice. May we see brothers and sisters, not color or ethnicity. May we rise together as children of God. One person can influence countless lives.
