Who Are We?
This post is based off of an article written by Andrew W.K. and posted by a friend on FaceBook. I suggest reading the article before this blog. There is some swearing so I apologize for that but
I’ve grown up in a family where the subjects most shy away from were just dinner-time talk… politics, religion, money. I’m so thankful for this but as I’ve gotten older and really in the past 8/10 years as an adult I’ve seen myself get so polarized in these matters. Don’t get me wrong, I fully believe what I believe but why do I immediately start considering and labeling those who used to be friends as “the other side”.
This article really popped out to me because I saw myself in his response. Some people in my life I had reduced to their political affiliation as opposed to a friend, a colleague, a human being. How unchristian of me! But that’s is why I am sharing this. It was a wakeup call for me and showed me something I need to be praying about and working on.
Christians can come off as holier than though so I want to admit my short-coming too.
Part of the issue is we live via social media – so people I’ve had contact with in the past – I now only see what they post and can make a quick judgement (and them to me also) but we don’t know each others lives at all. They don’t know what I’m really struggling with or dealing with and I have no idea what they are going through. We don’t share in any sort of real authentic community together. That empathy and understanding is missing today in society.
Furthermore – I am not a “conservative” first. I am a Christian first and foremost. My relationship with Jesus and how I relate to others should always come before my political affiliation.
It’s time to work on how to have civil disagreements without labeling others as a bigot, racist, nazi, snowflake, socialist, murderer. Seriously. We’ve gotten so cruel to each other. Let’s take a step back. I’m not going to “unfriend” someone who votes opposite of me because I disagree – I hope friends will do the same.
It’s time we follow 1 Corinthians and make ourselves a slave to everyone to win as many as possible – not to shun them off.
They are human being in need of saving too.
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:19-24