Recently a new film hit the box offices. It’s called Madea’s Big Happy Family. This is the 11th film that Tyler Perry has written, directed, produced and starred in. It seems as if his main character Madea just wins the hearts of everyone in America.

Well, almost everyone…

Spike Lee was quoted saying it is “coonery bafoonery” (talking about Tyler Perry’s movies and television shows).  He explains that this type of entertainment is taking us [African Americans] backwards, as we now have a black president and we’re [film makers] going back to the stereotypes of black people. He said he is “tired of seeing these films who do not give any love to us [African American society].”

When confronted about the criticism in an episode of 60 Minutes, Perry said, “That really pisses me off. Yes, I’m insulted. It’s attitudes like that that make Hollywood think that these people do not exist, and that’s why there’s no material speaking to them, speaking to us.”

Recently a reporter from RELEVANT magazine interviewed Tyler Perry about his newest film and asked if he ever gets any flack? Perry said he was sick of hearing about Spike Lee. He said, “Spike can go straight to hell! You can print that. Spike needs to shut the hell up…”

Proverbs 18:19 says, “A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
 and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.” Great care must be taken to prevent quarrels among relations and those under obligations to each other. Wisdom and grace make it easy to forgive; but corruption makes it difficult.

Some people love Madea.

Some people don’t.

It’s really easy in situations like this to listen to the conflict and be a judge; you pick a winner according to who you would pick sides with. Because everyone has opinions.

Everyone has a view or judgment formed about things. Everyone thinks that their opinion is right. Otherwise they wouldn’t have that opinion. Now, the danger comes from when we think that our opinion is so right that everyone should have the same one.

When you think that your way is the way and the only way…you become haughty.

If you are easily offended, then maybe your identity doesn’t rest in what it should.

Even if you are Spike Lee and talk badly about what other people do or you are Tyler Perry over-reacting in response to someone’s negative comments or you are someone reading about this kind of news online…

May we keep the faith.

This is about Madea. But it’s not.

This is something we’re surrounded by on a daily basis. This is where we find out what we’re made of. In the small stuff. May we keep the faith. May we keep keep a pure heart in all things. Because everyone is a work in progress.

Even an argumentative six-foot, six-inch, elderly African-American woman that is willing to threaten people with her gun.

(appeared first in theomag.com)