I’ve been rereading the first six Harry Potter books and anticipating the release of the seventh and final volume this month: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This series has never failed to impress me with its ability to impart Christian values, one of which is a question we are asked in our baptismal covenant: “Will you … respect the dignity of every human being?”

One recurring theme in the Harry Potter series is stereotypes. Even the heroes fall into the trap of assuming that all house elves are the same, or Muggles, or purebloods, or giants, or Slytherins, or Gryffindors, or fortune tellers, or Death Eaters. Only Professor Dumbledore, arguably a Christ figure, reliably rises above the stereotypes to give any and every sinner a shot at redemption … another key theme.

It’s comforting to categorize people as “good guys” or “bad guys,” but this is a comfort the Harry Potter series doesn’t afford us. Our heroes learn that their capacity for evil is surprisingly deep, and we find that some of their enemies are actually working hard at being good.

This is especially true for Professor Snape, Harry’s least favorite teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At the end of the sixth book, Snape seems to have aligned himself with the evil wizard Voldemort. But has he? Sometimes, even in the face of all evidence to the contrary, people we dislike are acting nobly. In the final book, perhaps author J.K. Rowling will develop this theme of redemption even further and teach us something about Resurrection.

In our non-fiction world, we cling to our own stereotypes against Democrats, Republicans, Catholics, Anglicans, Evangelicals, Blacks, Whites, Asians, Hispanics, the rich, the poor, Jews, Christians, Muslims … we stereotype all the time. And we justify our prejudice based on how dangerous we perceive a group of people to be. But we are individuals, and each of us chooses at every moment in our lives whether to do the easy, evil thing, or the difficult, good thing.

So how can we respect the dignity of every human being? Here are a few ideas:

-          Imagine you’ve been told that one person you will meet today is actually Christ in disguise; you just don’t know which one.

-          Assume good intentions from people who annoy you.

-          Pay attention to what other people feel they need. If you have it in you to give it to them, do so … even if you know they’re wrong. Give it to them, even if it’s irrelevant to your agenda and an inconvenience to your schedule. That which interrupts your day may well be God’s call to you.

-          Help people save face, even when … no, especially when they don’t deserve it.

-          Remember that you may not be of any use to God, but God chooses to make you useful anyway. How do you treat people who are of no use to you?

-          Turn non-anxiety into a spiritual discipline. The Good News of Christ is news of resurrection! Every good thing that dies will be raised, but you may need to pour all your humility into recognizing it again.