Pilgrim's Progress column with Hannah Smith: Common humanity
Would you hug a Mexican…?
It was a classic match with England winning 3-2 – a game that will be remembered for many years.
A short video released after the game brought tears to my eyes. It showed Mexico fans clapping England fans after the game – saying well done, we hope you win it all, smiling alongside English fans. Some even were providing a guard of honour as they clapped the opposing supporters leaving the ground.
The Mexican fans could have been expected to be sad, disappointed and maybe a little annoyed with the English due to their loss, but their attitude of celebration and joy was infectious. In this video they showed remarkable generosity to the supporters of the team that just knocked them out of the World Cup.
The unity that this video represented drew this emotional response from me. People from very different backgrounds and nationalities, who had been cheering against each other for well over 90 minutes, chose to celebrate their common humanity and to recognise the power of what they had in common over their differences.
This challenges me to consider what I see when I look at another person – particularly those who are different from me or who I find difficult to understand or to love. Do I first see what divides us, or do I see our common humanity? As a Christian I want to see others as Jesus sees them – each person deeply loved by their creator God.
It’s not easy to open our eyes and see beyond our first impressions of those we meet. However, the Mexican football fans this week showed that that seeing people in their full humanity can open up generosity and joy. I’m going to give it a go… will you join me?
Hannah Smith, Sandal Magna