It has been said that we live in a culture that is "polarized." Perhaps we are polarized by "fear." i.e.-afraid of that which is different, or afraid of that person who may come from a different race, or a different culture or even a different religion. In a climate of "fear," we often dig in deeper listening to the echo chambers of those who always agree with us dividing into camps of "us," vs. "them." We may say I can not communicate with the person who may not look like me, have the same opinions as me, who may even interpret the Bible different than me as one who is to be shunned because, "he," or "she," is not one of me. I was warned by many well meaning people who told me to be careful of all of those dangerous liberal professors who will lead you away from your faith. I personally do not like labels like "conservative," or "liberal," as often those labels are just what they are "labels." Being one who had biological roots in the southwestern Appalachian moutains of Virginia in early childhood and in the small west central Florida town of Plant City I am sure that when I went to college many more urban people saw me as a combination of a southern caucasion "hillbilly cracker/central Florida small town rural redneck," who appeared to be incredibly simple and naive. That being a bit of a harsh label I must in humility admit that there was an element of truth in that label. I had a great family but there were those growing up in my southern family who would use the "n" word regularly in describing those who were of another race. Many of these people who I dearly loved (many now no longer living) had subconsciously taught me some provincial prejudice that I had to unlearn as a part of my own spiritual formation and growth. As my spiritual formation evolved I can remember another United Methodist pastor who sat me down and explained to me that yes there was "racism," in the world and that as Christians we have a sacred responsibility to speak out against it even when it is unpopular to do so as the gospel itself was at stake in this matter.. At Candler School of Theology I had a very faithful professor of Systematic Theology who made me acutely aware that yes "social concerns," and "social justice," was at the core of the Christian message, using the Exodus narrative in the Old Testament as an illustration of the oppressed people (the Israelites seeking freedom from the bondage of the Pharoah, the powerful oppressor). The Exodus journey itself serves as an analogy to our life journey as well being faithful people wandering through our own wildernesses until we finally cross to the other side of the communion table into heaven which is our "promised land." As I share this I have come to the place in my own walk with the Lord that one has not necessarily lost his/her faith when he/she has a world view that has evolved beyond black and white rigid thinking but in many cases a mature spiritual world view can involve some nuance (shades of gray). It is often spiritually healthy for us to have some of our own preconceived notions challenged. Yes this can be challenging and perhaps even threatening but we never grow past spiritual infanthood if we are in constant fear of the "other," i.e. the person who is different from me or one in whom we fear is "not one of me." I would remind us that when Pentecost came people from all over the world came who were different culturally diverse and had nothing in common except one thing. That thing being there love of Jesus. Yes the Body of Christ is big enough to be inclusive to a multi-cultural world with people of all races and cultures, of people of whom we may have different opinions but share that one thing in common, "the love of Jesus. I know that all I have said is a lot of meat to digest but I recall once when one of the greatest Christian theologians of the twentieth century Karl Barth was once asked if he could state his theology in one sentence after he had written thousands of pages of Christian theology he paused and answered the question with the words, "Jesus Loves Me This I Know." After all I have said in the aforementioned words of this post I still believe Jesus loves me for the Bible tells me so. I stlll believe that we serve a crucified and risen Lord. I still believe that it is because of the cross the devil is not yet destroyed but has been defeated. I believe because of Jesus resurrection we no longer have to live under the ciircumstances but can rise above the circumstances. Regardless of my human frailty and sin I can proclaim with boldnesss that "GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!" As a word of hope in the divided and polarized world in which we live Pentecost itself reminds us that there is more that unites than divides us. YES!! YES!! GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!! AMEN and AMEN!!!
Posted on: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 00:19:01 +0000
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