Today, I was kicking back and listening to one of my favorite playlists on Spotify when a suggested song came on from a band I hadn’t paid much attention to before— "I Am They".
With a name like that, I was intrigued.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I clicked. As I listened, I realized I already knew several of their songs—and honestly, I really like their music. But it wasn’t just their sound that stuck with me—it was their name. “I Am They.” That simple phrase hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting.
As I sat with it, I started to feel convicted.
How often in my daily life do I talk about what “They” are doing? “They” ruined this. “They” are the problem. “They” don’t get it. “They” are the worst! I mean, come on—what were "They" thinking? Can "They" even think at all?
Especially when They don’t agree with Us, right?
But then something shifted. The real question isn’t what’s wrong with them—it’s how did I get so far off track?
We love to categorize people:
“They” are Democrats.
“They” are Republicans.
“They” are socialists.
“They” are Boomers, Millennials, Gen X, Y, & Z...
“They” are our parents, our children, our brothers and sisters, our cousins, our coworkers, our neighbors.
“They” are doctors, lawyers, baristas, janitors, teachers, unemployed, or retired.
They love someone. And someone loves them.
And here’s the truth: To someone else, I am ‘They’.
That realization brought tears to my eyes.
“They” love their children.
“They” grieve their losses.
“They” celebrate birthdays, laugh with friends, enjoy hobbies, and struggle with burdens that I may never understand.
“They” cry.
“They” hope.
“They” are human.
It reminded me of something I read a long time ago in a book of profound wisdom—Dr. Seuss’s 'The Sneetches'. In the story, some Sneetches had stars on their bellies and others didn’t. And though they were identical in every way, the star-bellied Sneetches believed they were superior.
"But because they had stars, all star bellied Sneetches would brag
'We're the best kind of Sneetches on the beaches'.
With thier snoots in the air they would sniff and snort,
we'll have nothing to do with the plain bellied sort!"
It sounds ridiculous, right? But is it really that different from how we act today?
We separate. We categorize. We label. And we forget the most important label of all: human.
So today, with tears in my eyes and music in my ears, I realize how far I still have to go to truly live out one of the simplest and hardest commandments: love your neighbor as yourself.
To stop seeing people as “them” and start seeing everyone as us.
To focus not on our differences, but on our shared experiences.
To help someone in their struggle—not condemn them for it.
Even if it costs me.
Because kindness that costs nothing, is easy.
Kindness that costs something—that takes effort, humility, and sacrifice—that’s love.
And next time I’m tempted to talk about what “They” are doing wrong, I hope I’ll stop and remember:
I am They.
They are me.
And we are us.
Let’s choose to just... BE KIND!
— A reflection from someone still learning – Jerry Ballinger