In a society riddled with division and disdain for those who hold different beliefs than us, Ellen DeGeneres is once again showing us that kindness knows no bias.
After the talk show host was spotted sitting next to former President George W. Bush at the Dallas Cowboys game last weekend, social media blew up with a storm of negative comments about the unlikely pair sharing a laugh.
“During the game, they showed a shot of George and me laughing together, so people were upset,” Ellen remarked. “They thought, ‘Why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president?'”
“Didn’t even notice I’m holding the brand new iPhone 11,” she quipped jokingly.
Transitioning to a more serious note, Ellen shared her favorite tweet posted about her interaction with Bush, before delivering a powerful takeaway message on kindness.
The tweet read: “Ellen and George Bush together makes me have faith in America again.”
“Here’s the thing: I’m friends with George Bush,” Ellen explained, adding that she’s friends with many people who share beliefs different from her own. “We’re all different and I think that we’ve forgotten that we’re all different,” she continued, before jumping to a lighthearted comparison about fur-wearers.
“For instance, I wish people wouldn’t wear fur. I don’t like it, but I’m friends with people who wear fur and I’m friends with people who are furry, as a matter of fact.”
“But just because I don’t agree with someone on everything doesn’t mean I’m not gonna be friends with them,” she continued. “When I say be kind to one another, I don’t mean only the people that think the same way you do. I mean be kind to everyone. It doesn’t matter.”
As Christians, it can be difficult even for us to remember this nugget of wisdom from a “gay Hollywood liberal.”
In a world that by design butts up against our belief system, we are to be examples of Jesus and bearers of light to all who cross our paths—not just those who think the way we do.
Thank you, Ellen, for reminding us that amidst a society beckoning us to hate our neighbor, we need only to be kind.
