salt-shaker.blog

In yet another dark time in our country, citizens are once again engaging in an ideological wrestling match, or perhaps more accurately, in an emotional shouting match. What does it look like to be a Jesus follower in such a time as this? The first believers defied culture norms, many of which were outright evil, by carrying the truth with boldness when called out to speak and with care when living in the collateral carnage of gross immorality. Meanwhile they relentlessly shared a message of rescue from this present evil world. All who chose to join them were treated as equals despite social status or previous failure, and they reoriented their opinions and lifestyle to a new kind of community. The political influence they had was the sacrificial serving lives they lived in opposition to depravity and the deaths they died in bowing only to Jesus.

We live in a vastly different political setting. In a representative democracy we are tasked as citizens to influence what laws are adopted. Our founders expected and welcomed dialogue on how to formulate policy, but the process has been infected by corruption like a cancer. Greed, the lust for power, and elitism incite leaders to degenerate to the worst version of themselves for the win. Principles are collateral damage. Our public representatives are easy targets for rage, the avatars of warring ideologies. But humanity loses. Love loses. Our country loses. In the fray it is easy to misidentify the real enemy – an unseen being lurking in the realm of ideas, exploiting differences, sowing suspicion, curating contempt. This one is supremely experienced and masterful in deception and motivated by pure unadulterated hatred for the human race. This may seem like fictional fantasy, but don’t roll your eyes just yet. 

Scripture tells us ”For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil.” Jesus Himself warns us to be careful about deception, especially during His temporary  absence from earth. His story is replete with interactions with such beings. We are dealing with an ancient foe, an orchestrated systematized evil targeting unsuspecting victims, made pliable by mass media campaigns to control. The prey are fellow image bearers, objects of divine attention and affection. Our opponents are not people to be objectified by defamatory rhetoric from Jesus followers. We must remember that we too have been enemies to God and His kingdom, brought in by His mercy, not our morality or political affiliation.

Jesus Himself warned that there will be antagonism to anything that has His name attached to it. There is consistent historical insidious resistance to the kingdom of God, pinnacled in the assassination its King, marked by subversive obstruction in the aftermath. Presently, both liberals and conservatives claim morality while building walls against dialogue, labeling opposing opinion as propaganda. Both sides use inflammatory popularized labels to dismiss a person’s validity rather than addressing their ideas – so many pejoratives, so little thoughtful analysis.  This cannot characterize Christians lest we take His name in vain.

The challenge is compelling, what with so many unsuspecting people captive to dehumanizing philosophies, pawns in a celestial war for the souls of men. To be compassionately curious without condescension requires nothing less than the work of the Holy Spirit in our own wayward hearts. Let’s admit, it is much easier to succumb to righteous indignation, sanctifying rudeness and insult for ‘the cause’.  Jesus warns us to “…look at the log in your own eye.” I painfully take stock of the belittling attitudes of my heart that roll my eyes at my coworkers. I stop to evaluate the ‘innocuous’ slander that spills so easily off my tongue in day to day interactions. Ashamed, I recognize my thoughtless tendency towards critically objectifying someone who looks at things differently, has an annoying habit, is less intelligent, civilized, literate, talented, fit, or – God forbid- less ‘spiritual’. We will indeed be answerable for every idle word to the One who endured hostility, shame and reproach on our behalf. We, as the church of the living God, need mercy. And if we are truly His, we must give it.

“To be a Christian is to excuse the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” Charlie Kirk

Shalom