Monday, September 25, 2017

What I Don't Know, and What I Do Know, About What is Happening Right Now


I will freely admit that I'm lacking in wisdom when it comes to dealing with the cultural moment that we find ourselves in - that we found ourselves in over the weekend. I honestly do not know what it will take to put the divisions that we see in our nation back together. It began Friday when President Trump called football players who kneeled during the national anthem SOB's and said they should be fired. It continued when more of those players responding by kneeling during the national anthem. And then it really got bad as people were all over social media on both sides yesterday - ramping up the rhetoric even more. I don't know how this is fixed - it's a microcosm of what we are as a nation right now. We're divided along so many different lines that it's hard to keep count.

So, I said I don't know how that will be fixed - but let me walk that back a little bit. I don't know exactly how it will be fixed, but I do know that this moment calls for Christians to act like Christians. There are a lot of different ways people will read that statement, so let me be clear. Some see Christianity as a political movement - and that our primary purpose in the culture is to win elections or get laws passed. Though that's not unimportant, it's not what Christianity is. Others see Christianity as a social movement - designed to get people to act right. Though that's not unimportant either, it's not what Christianity is. When I speak of Christianity, I'm talking about a group of people who are dedicated to living out the gospel in their lives and in their cultures, because of what Jesus has done for them, and what he has commanded them to do. They live it out through their witness and through their actions. Jesus and Jesus alone has the power to fix what ails us as a nation, but he will not do it through political or social channels. He will do it the way he always does it - by using the radical love found only through the gospel. So though I don't know exactly what this will look like, I think we can find some guideposts that will show us a way forward.

Divisions are healed when Christians choose to listen more than they speak. We have an awful lot of talk in our culture today, but very little listening. Most people don't listen so they can understand - they listen so they can respond. But Christians must be different. The apostle James said this: "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak." Now, we don't have to be told to listen more and speak less when we're talking to people we agree with. This specifically comes into play when we're talking to someone we disagree with. Christian, have you really listened to people you disagree with? Have you tried to understand why they think the way they think, why they believe the way they believe, why they're acting the way they act? Have you put yourself in their shoes? Even after you listen, you may not agree with them. But you may find you have more common ground than you originally thought. And most certainly, you will be better able to empathize with them. Here's a good practice - every day, read an article or talk to someone with whom you profoundly disagree. And as you do it - look for common ground. You might be surprised.

Divisions are healed when Christians admit they were wrong. It's funny - for a faith that says that every single person on the planet is deeply affected by sin, and even believers still battle a sin nature, we sure have a hard time saying we messed up. But all of us have flaws in our thinking. Some of that is sin, some of it is ignorance, and some of it is a lack of wisdom. But a big first step to peace is admitting that you're not sure about everything - that you might be wrong on issues that are not of first importance. A little humility goes a long way.

Divisions are healed when Christians choose to love their enemies. It constantly amazes me how this clear command from Jesus, repeated numerous times through the New Testament, is consistently ignored by people who profess to be believers. But it's there over and over again: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) "Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:28) "But love your enemies, and do good." (Luke 6:35) "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14) "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink." (Proverbs 25:21). The witness of scripture is that we should love, pray, and do good for those with whom we disagree with. Can you imagine the difference that could made in our culture right now if Christians chose to listen to and then pray for and then love those with whom we consider our enemies? I mean, instead of going onto social media and putting them on blast.

Divisions are healed when the gospel is taught and lived by Christians. You see, the reason that we are called to all of this is because this is what Jesus did. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) If you are a believer in Christ, you are a reformed enemy of God. You were once his enemy, and he loved you enough to do what you could not do for yourself - he sent his son to die for you. Jesus loved his enemies so much that he was willing to go through the hellish torture of crucifixion - but more than that, he loved his enemies so much that he was willing to endure separation from his father. And in doing so, he reconciled those enemies to himself. I pray that includes you. If it does, he has now called you to a ministry of reconciliation - helping others be reconciled to God. And when people are reconciled to God, then they will be reconciled to one another. The gospel is the only thing that has the power to bring people with such profound disagreements together. But when it is preached right and lived right, you will see people who otherwise couldn't be in the same room together living as brothers and sisters. So, the question for you is this - do you love your enemies enough to try to make them your friends, the way Jesus did it? 


What would happen if Christians in this country decided to live out these truths - putting them before every other competing truth claim? We say that the reason we believe the gospel is because it is the way the world actually works. Maybe the reason the world is not actually working right now is because we are refusing to live out the gospel the way it was meant to be lived. I do not have all the answers - but I know where the answers are found. Will you be an agent of peace, and pray that God will show us those answers?

12 comments:

Sarita Rainey said...

While I understand where you are coming from and agree with a lot you have said...i believe most of what's wrong with our nation is a direct result of us (Christians) who have kept silent on too many important issues in the name of "not offending" anyone by doing so we've become complacent and have allowed honor and respect fall to the sidelines. There are times and place for righteousness indignation. Even Jesus called Jewish leaders of His day vipors. I believe we need to stand up for our Flag and be patriotic...not in anger but with confidence and CHRIST like love.

Wade Phillips said...

Before I tell you what I think here, Sarita, I just want to be be sure I understand what you are saying. Do you believe that those who are kneeling for the national anthem are sinning by doing so? If so, can you explain why you think that? Thank you!

Unknown said...

I don't think they are sinning so much as being disrespectful. When I think about the words to the National Anthem - and the circumstances when they were penned - I am very disappointed in the attitudes of many who take this country and their freedoms for granted. When the bombs lit up the sky, and everything seemed bleak, and freedom felt like an impossible dream, the light from the bombs shone on the glorious flag that was still waving and brought hope. Hope that freedom would endure. Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope that those who died did not die in vain. Hope that love would prevail. Hope that this would be a melting pot. Immigrants who came here in the past understood that and flew that flag with pride. My own came from Poland prior to the Holocaust. They didn't fly the flag of the country they left for hopes of finding a better future. They flew the American flag and became proud Americans. So I do not understand how one can disrespect the symbol of hope for this nation. I can not understand how one can not be moved when they hear the words to that song. Do I hate them? No. I just don't understand. Will I pray for them? Absolutely. I still believe in this country. I have been a lifelong Steelers fan and I didn't watch the game yesterday because for the first time in my life, I was ashamed of them. Some things I think won't change as long as we are complacent.

Wade Phillips said...

Patriotism is a good thing - a real good. I couldn't agree with you more. Christians ought to be good citizens who love their countries. But the forms that love of country take often look different, and are issues of wisdom rather than sin. A person taking a knee for the anthem may believe that he is doing so for patriotic reasons. You would not. But neither of you are sinning by your position. And perhaps your position is the wiser position. My point is this - when we divide over second order things, we make first order things less important. So I ought to still be able to have fellowship with my brother or sister in Christ, though we may not agree on what the proper display of patriotism is in this situation. To not be able to listen to and love them and pray for them seems to me to elevate that issue higher than it ought to be.

Rev. Pam Randall said...

I think Christians should speak out when someone disrespects our country. This country was founded upon God. A great price was paid for us to have the freedoms we enjoy everyday.The USA is unlike any other nation in the world. Our founding fathers meant for us to have freedom "OF" religion not freedom "FROM" religion.
Don't forget the same press that is criticizing our president for saying "maybe the NFL should fire players who disrespect our flag" is the same press that tried to crucify Tim Tebow for kneeling and writing John 3:16 on his cheek. That seems to show what their motives are. Let's not be deceived.

Wade Phillips said...

Our opinions are important, and I don't want to discount that. But what matters most is what God tells us to do through his Word. And the Word tells us to do the things that I've outlined above. It does not tell us to speak out for anything but the gospel. And it doesn't tell us tell us to worry about what the press says. I'm not saying those are unimportant things - just that in the grand scheme of things they are not nearly as important as what the Word says. And what I see Christians doing is a great deal of sharing opinions, and very little following the Word in this situation.

Unknown said...

Sometimes our opinions are what make us who we are. The world sees us as weak, people who back down when backed in a corner. We are called to love so we overlook that which offends us. I think perhaps that is part of what has brought this country to where it is now. Our willingness to say - ok I'll stand down. I am not saying that patriotism is more important than Christianity, by no means. All I'm saying is in my life, I have to draw some very clear lines. I think there are better ways to get your point across than disrespecting the very thing that gave you the freedom to get your point across. People are forgetting that while they don't want to offend anyone, they are clearly offending the men and women who currently serve this country and the ones who have fought and died for this country. Why are they less important than the ones who cry inequality? Remember how they were received after the Vietnam War? They deserve our respect.

Wade Phillips said...

I agree that we ought to draw very bright lines - and do our best to draw them in the exact place the Bible does. God decides what strength and weakness look like, and his definition is a lot different than the world.

Unknown said...

I am reminded of a message delivered by the late Dr. Adrian Rogers who said, "you are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice." In other words, they can choose to kneel, they can even choose to remain in the locker room, but they can not choose how the fans will react to their form of protest. That being said, their protest will affect their pocketbooks. As more and more Americans who feel patriotic only wish to watch a football game and not the politics of the players. Many pay good money to watch that game and feel that their flag should not be disrespected in such a way. Just like Hollywood actors are simply actors on a big screen, they are paid to act, football players are athletes who are paid to play. Nobody wants to pay to watch them protest.

Unknown said...

By the way, be sure to check out what the NFL players wish to do in November. Hint: anti police month.

Wade Phillips said...

Um - that really wasn't anywhere near the point of this article. The point was how we talk about this - not the merits of the protest itself.

Crios said...

Well said Sarita.