There is a Walt Disney movie titled, Ruby Bridges. It was the story of Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old African-American girl, who was the first person to integrate the schools in New Orleans.
Everyday the federal marshals escorted her into the schoolhouse because both sides of the sidewalk would be lined with people who were screaming threats.
Robert Coles, a noted Harvard psychiatrist, volunteered his time to work with young Ruby. Every day he would talk with her, trying to help her weather the crisis. On the news one night, he noticed her walking up the sidewalk and the people were screaming and throwing things, but suddenly she stopped and said something and started backing down the sidewalk.
Then the marshals picked her up and took her into the building. That night, Cole asked her what she said to the marshals. She said, “I was not talking to the marshals.” He said,”Yes, you were. I saw you on the news. I saw your lips moving. You were talking to the marshals.” She said, “I was not talking to the marshals.”
He said, “Well, what were you doing?” She said,“I was praying for those people who were hollering at me. I had forgotten to pray and I was trying to go back and pray for them as I walked to the school building.”
Cole shook his head and said, “You were praying for the people who were screaming at you?” She said, “Yes, my Mama taught me that when people speak mean of you, you pray for them just like Jesus prayed for the people who spoke mean of him.”
You see, when Jesus lives in your heart, you just can’t hate anybody.
