How many pickles does it take to make chicken soup?

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I was at the doctor the other day, it seems like ever since 2019 going to the doctor has become a regular part of my life; actually, it doesn't just seem like it, it has. So, when I go to the doctor's office the receptionist always has a joke or a riddle for me. 

This last visit was a riddle, and it went like this, "What has one eye but cannot see?" 

I responded, "A black eyed pea."

She said, "Nope"

I said, "A black eyed pea can't see and it only has one eye."

She said, "But that isn't the right answer."

I said, "Why not?"

She responded, "It isn't the answer I am looking for."

I said, "Words are important, it is true that a black eyed pea has one eye but cannot see, it just isn't the answer you are looking for."

She agreed, so I continued to guess.

I said, "A blind Cyclops"

"Nope" was the reply.

"A needle", I said. 

She got all excited and said, "Yes, a needle!"

I then said, "Well don't try and put a camel through it."

She just looked at me. I didn't explain.  

I had my appointment and as usual the doctor said, "Your not dead yet, go back to work."

On my way out I stopped at the receptionist desk. I gave her a riddle.

I quipped, "How many pickles does it take to make chicken soup?"

She said, "I don't know."

I replied, "Think about it, I will be back on Thursday."

It will be fun to hear her answer. 

While it was fun to talk about a one eyed thing that cannot see, it isn't so funny when we talk about two eyed people that refuse to see. S0o often in our society today we don't see individuals; oh don't get me wrong, we can see just fine. It is that we see groups instead, and then when we see an individual we assign them to whatever group we think they should be in, all without ever learning anything about the individual first. We then judge them accordingly based on the group we assigned them to. 

The really sad part of this is it is bigotry, racism... and all those other things that everyone says, "I don't do that, or it isn't me."

We make assumptions of individuals based solely on the color of their skin, their gender, their sexual orientation, their political leaning, their worldview... and it typically isn't based in a positive way.

Another way of looking at it is calling it profiling. 

The YMCA was founded using John 17:21 which starts "That all of them may be one." 

As I go through life pondering, and ruminating, and pondering again. I wonder how I have fallen into the trap of profiling, of looking at an individual and placing a group on them. I ask for forgiveness because I am sure that I have done this at times in my life. 

Have you ever fallen into the trap laid by the enemy and grouped someone without getting to know them first, placing a label on them without ever having a conversation, or is this something individual with me?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger