"We're Here! We're Here! We're Here!"

Today while watching a personal favorite, "Horton Hears a Who", I was amazed at how this story so parallels what religion does in the world. The story starts with the innocent, open Horton just living his little elephant life when he hears a voice from a dust speck asking for help. Recognizing that the life is of value he tries to protect who or whatever it is and places the dust speck for safe keeping on a cushy clover.

Upon seeing him talking to the dust speck the other animals decided Horton was acting rather peculiar and concluded he had flipped his lid. They refuse to see or hear the life that exist on that dust speck, so to them it does not matter, in fact does not exist.

Religion does the same thing, it dictates who can be saved and who can be loved by God, indeed who is "normal". God couldn't love hookers, or drug addicts or alcoholics and not possibly gays.. Religion has declared them imperfect and not worthy of love, mercy, or existence. God on the other hand is like Horton, quick to save them and quick to acknowledge, "a person is a person, no matter how small".

Many have been shunned by religion and its narrow parameters of who can enter the kingdom. Like the Pharisees; Mrs. Toucanella, Jane Kangaroo and Jr. in her pouch and the Wickersham Brothers seek to silence the Savior who loves all and worse yet to refuse to love or embrace whom He loves and created. It is far easier to boil those who are different in beezelnut oil!

Horton insists that the "Who's" do exist and must be acknowledged. He calls on them to make themselves heard so religion mut see their value. "We're here, we're here, we're here", they chant, much like the anthem many gay activist use; "We're here and we're queer". Why must a group be labeled queer? Queer means odd. Must everyone who does not fit the mold be degraded and treated as less than human or flawed in some way? God forbid! My mother used to always say, "God don't make no junk!"

We are all diamonds in the rough; it takes the Holy Spirit to knock off all our rough edges, polish us up and show our value. Whoever you are little who, to God you are priceless! "A person is a person no matter how small. A person is a person after all."

The old hymn says, "His eye is on the sparrow", meaning if God watches out even after one little sparrow, He must surely be concerned about me. How true this is, everyone and everything in His creation He made as He did for a unique purpose, so how dare we ask the Potter "why have You made me or why have You made them like this?" Eternity and Heaven only know who a "Horton" or a "Who" can help.