The events in and around the Capitol Building on January 6 have been upsetting to many throughout our country and our church community.
As followers of Jesus, we recognize every challenge is an opportunity for discipleship, a chance to find a new way of God’s leading. This is just as true of national and international crises as it is for personal ones. As a minister here at Meadow Glade, I wish to share a few discipleship reminders, and my reflection on a way I believe God is leading us.
First, God calls us to pray for and work toward the thriving of our communities.
When Jerusalem is destroyed by a heathen king who does not know God and captives are taken to Babylon and forced to resettle there, Jeremiah writes to them to pray for and seek the good of, the thriving of, their new city. (Jeremiah 29) They are to plant gardens, forge friendships, engage in business, and pray for God’s blessing. This principle seems even truer given our knowledge that all humans are God’s children and that Jesus died because he loves all the creation.
Second, our hope, fundamentally, is not in our president or government.
Though we want human life to thrive and we recognize engaging with society is one way to help that occur, we know our salvation comes from God. Whatever part of these immediate events we find discouraging, we can look to the hope of Jesus’ soon coming, and let that reality define our attitudes now and what we do now.
Third, the way we talk, post, and act is a witness to the world of who Jesus is.
Let’s remember that we represent Jesus to our family, friends, neighbors, and world. We testify that we are being transformed into the likeness of the one who gave his life for us when we were still enemies (Romans 5), so whatever we do, let’s strive to represent the character of Jesus as we do it.
Fourth, Jesus has given us the role of peacemakers and bridge builders.
I believe, though there are people committed to evil, most people want the best for our country and world. What seems to me like our greatest current problem, is that people throughout our country are working with fundamentally different information sources to define what is true. Then they shout at each other. “This is true because I read it here!” Or, on the other hand, “No, this is true because I heard it from here!” As we can all see, these shouting matches have devolved into groups feeling more and more divided with greater and greater enmity between them.
This leaves three options: fight–either verbally or physically to cow people into behaving the way we want, retreat–by pretending nothing is happening or only associating with those who think like us, or engage–leaning into conversation with those who have different information sources than we do. I propose this third option is the way of Jesus, the way of love of neighbor. It’s how God has been convicting me. What if we came with curiosity and a desire to understand? But this problem won’t be solved by listening alone, we must also reason together. Without anger or condescension we should discuss the pros and cons of the different sources themselves. Perhaps we could find a way forward together. Perhaps we could find some sources that, though not right all the time, we can at least agree to use as arbiters of general facts. If we can agree on the facts, we can agree on the problems. And if we can agree on the problems, we can begin to build solutions that honor God and those around us.
May our light shine so people will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. (Matthew 5)
–Pastor Jonny Moor