Last Saturday afternoon I was sitting on the couch with my son watching the end of the Cleveland Guardians game when he abruptly stopped scrolling through his social media feed and said, “Trump got shot.” Of course, I quickly grabbed my phone and tried to determine what was going on. For the next few hours, probably like many of you, I kept turning on and off news coverage as I tried to get information and wrap my head around what had happened.
The subsequent week has felt like we are living in a movie – it’s even got an iconic photo ready-made for the title screen. Conspiracy theories have been everywhere: It was staged! It was a hit from Democrats! More people were involved! I’ve seen suggestive and mean-spirited memes and comments posted online from people I never would have suspected to promote vitriol, hate, division, and (frankly) ignorance. Whenever I scan through political talk radio and television stations (which is becoming less and less often), they constantly use language that belittles, insults, and even dehumanizes their political counterparts. They aren’t people who disagree with their perspective on health care or the economy or the military, but instead they are “idiots,” “traitors,” or even worse. This has become the norm.
For people who follow Christ, however, this can never be the norm. The early Christians were called people of the Way – because the way they lived their lives mattered. They did not espouse an “end-justifies-the-means” philosophy making excuses for their behavior or language in order to accomplish some greater goal. The way they lived their lives was the greater goal. Christians must concern themselves with living the best “means” possible and leave figuring out the all-important “ends” to God.
There are certainly major and important issues that need attention in our country, and those issues are important and dear to us for various reasons. Demonizing and caricaturizing those who hold counter viewpoints is not going to fix anything. Name-calling, eye-rolling, and labeling just makes things worse. Politicians have been talking about “lowering the temperature of our political discourse,” but it remains to be seen which politician is actually going to take the first step. At our core, the only thing we really have to offer others is the way we treat them and the way we carry ourselves.
When Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor?” he intentionally chose the group of people (the Samaritans) who were ideologically opposed to the interlocutor (a Jew) to make his point. It is even more important how we treat those we have disagreements and conflicts with than how we treat those with whom we get along just fine. The Bible was written many years ago – and there are many places where that is obvious, but there are other places in the Bible that sound as though they were written yesterday. Romans 12 is one of those places. If the early church leaders were to look at the Christians in our communities today, it seems to me they may have had a similar message for us.
Romans 12: 9-18 (NLT)
9. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
10. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
11. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
13. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
15. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
16. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17. Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
18. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
This doesn’t seem to align with either of our major political parties, but it is the way in which Jesus has called us to live. No. Matter. What.
Adam Metz serves as chaplain for Willow Brook Christian Communities for all three campuses as well as the minister for the Alum Creek Church in Lewis Center.
