You know what bugs me the most about partisanship? (yep... fire up the flame throwers now). It goes against Love thy neighbor. Ive had my head spinning the past several days, this message keeps coming back to me. Why? The talking heads that make money off of stirring people up on all sides, and everyone else that demands the my way or the highway, do not give us permission to Love thy neighbor. If you fail to support a party line, whether left or right, public character execution ensues. I dont care if its related to birth control, climate, science, gay marriage or pot smoking. Be cool or be cast out. (Better yet, tow the line or be cast out) But where does that leave Jesus? For most of us, were still coming to terms with not what we believe, but how we should best apply it or live it out. The problem? People on the sides like black and white. Things to be clear cut. Are you for freedom? Are you for sustainable energy? Are you for or against fighting poverty? Most of these questions and matters are loaded anyway. And they dont really leave room for Jesus. Face it. Who needs Jesus when we can play God and be both judge and jury. Jesus said, follow me. Not follow your cause. When faced with these questions that were set to tramp him, he always came back with an answer that answered truly everything, and yet nothing that they were hoping to get. (thats why he angered them so much) Jesus is from the left and the right, the middle and the independent. To follow him is not to follow a side or a cause, its to follow the sole reason and the way. By our not solely following Jesus instead of our partisan sides, we leave no room for what Jesus might do in us or between us. What if both sides had things partly right or partly wrong? Give yourself and others permission to truly love thy neighbor.... the person you disagree with, the person you agree with, the person wrestling with what is right. I find that I learn nothing when I live my life with those that already align with how I think. Give yourself permission to follow the reason for us being here in the first place, no matter which part of the body that you were created/designed to be. Liberal, you might just have to hug a Conservative. Conservative, you may just do the same with a liberal. Maybe not on your own, but by a much higher power and calling than your own power. Love thy neighbor.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 06:46:36 +0000
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