common ground

POP!

That’s me… I really miss writing the blog like I used to do before my job changed and free time became more fleeting.

Because once you’re used to writing a blog… these ideas you see… they just keep on flowing… and you don’t have the means to express them (and after awhile, your family gets tired of smiling and nodding…)

POP!

I feel compelled to write after the election about 3 things… 

FIRST, I’m amazingly, incredibly thankful that Common Ground is a place where Democrats and Republicans… supporters of McCain and supporters of Obama… can meet together and share in the love of Christ…. share his body and blood broken… share in his reconciliation.

NEXT, I’m disappointed by the rhetoric that I so often hear in political discussions, especially amongst believers (and to be honest, sometimes from myself).  Believe me… I’ve got very strong opinions on a lot of issues (and some of them are even reasonably thought out… ), but I’ve got to frame every comment I make in my relationship with Christ… does my political comment reflect the Gospel?  Does it reflect the fruit of the Spirit (you know the ones from Galatians 5v22… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control)?  If not… then onto the last point.

LAST (and this is the heavy one).  I get to choose whether I make my opinions idols based on the way I treat people and the language that I use.  What, you say?

The way that I view things is that Jesus called us to love our neighbor as ourself.  And, if I let my opinions get in the way of that (on any issue)… that opinion becomes more important than the call of Christ… that opinion becomes an idol.

For instance, there’s stores I won’t shop at because of their business practices (call me naive… call me idealistic).  If I see you walking out of the store, I can’t go espouse my opinion towards you, judge you, demean you or make you feel bad because you don’t share my opinion.  If I do… expressing my opinion (and in some cases my self-justification) becomes more important than loving you… more important than the call of Christ… it becomes an idol.

But, what you say, if it’s a moral issue?  What if it’s something that you feel has a clear connection to the cause of Christ?   In that case, I’d offer these words, “In essentials unity, In doubtful things liberty, But in all things love”

Is your opinion really worth that person’s opinion of you, of Christians, or of Christ becoming negatively impacted?  If so, get on with it.   If not… love love love love love (which is a great song by As Tall As Lions by the way… saw them open for Mae…). ***

So I digress… and I guess I’m done… oh one last point…

God is bigger than our politics  )

*** I’m not saying at all here that there’s not a need to speak truth into someones life once you’re in an established friendship or relationship… I’m not saying that we walk away from standards when they’re needed… I’m not saying that we shouldn’t aim to become more like Christ… I’m just sayin…