PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
«For the Lord your God Is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe» (Deuteronomy 10: 17).
Role-playing consists of interpreting a character and automatically assuming the personality traits of that character. We are referring to the distinguishing features of an imaginary character in the course of a story, with different dialogues and actions.
A research team lead by Philip Zimbardo from Stanford University set up role-play situations in order to perform different social roles. They recruited twenty-four healthy and psychologically stable university students who acted as «guards» and «prisoners» in a fictitious prison installed in the basement of the Psychology Department of the same university. The assignment of roles was done randomly, so both groups were similar physically and psychologically. Before the experiment, the «guards» received instructions to manage the prison as they saw fit, but were prohibited from using physical violence against the «prisoners.» Meanwhile, the «prisoners» who were accused of armed robbery would be kidnapped and prosecuted by the real police, then brought to the mock prison. Very quickly, all the participants assumed their role in such a way that the «guardians» turned out to be authoritarian, cruel, and oppressive in a few days, humiliating the «prisoners» who became less and less powerless and helpless. This is how the impressionability and obedience of people were displayed when they were offered institutional support and legitimate ideology.
The Bible describes the equality principle by emphasizing that God «has made from one blood every nation of men» Acts 17:26). At the same time, the Lord assigned a role to everyone who makes use of the opportunity to express his or her character. «You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above» (John 19: I l), Jesus told Pilate.
No matter what role we perform, we need to remember the principle of equality of all people. «The life of Christ established a religion in which there is no caste, a religion by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked in a common brotherhood, equal before God. . . . He made no difference between neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies. That which appealed to His heart was a soul thirsting for the waters of life.» (The Ministry of Healing, ch. l, p. 25).
What does your character show as you perform the role God gave you? Do you apply the principle of equality in your relationship with your fellowmen? If not, today is a good day to start!
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Taken from: Daily Devotions for Adults 2020
“A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine”
From: Julian Melgoza-Laura Fidanza
Colaboradores:Ricardo Vela & Alejandra Zavala
