For the past few years, it never fails that every single day I have seen someone on my feed pulling the Bible out of context to justify their demeaning, argumentative and (to put it nicely) strange political posts. Oftentimes, these post clearly show a lack of real thinking and reading of the Bible (that they quote) and learning from the great thinkers and teachers. Mostly, these posts are written by people echoing a political TV show, which Neil Postman warned us about in 1982 in his book AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH:
“Television is altering the meaning of ‘being informed’ by creating a species of information that might properly be called disinformation. Disinformation does not mean false information. It means misleading information – misplaced, irrelevant, fragmented or superficial information – information that creates the illusion of knowing something, but which in fact leads one away from knowing.”
Please know, I am not trying to be rude but it doesn’t take much to see that these posts are full of nonsensical and contradictory stances on a number of issues. Sure, I understand that culture can give Christians numerous issues to be bothered by but if we are not grounded in truth and love, then these issues are going to toss us to and fro, and keep us perpetually ranting and raving. As a result, we are going to have no time to wash feet, feed the poor, help the hurting, heal the sick, announce the good news and “love the Lord your God out of your whole heart and out of your whole soul and out of your whole reason and out of your whole strength… and love your neighbor as yourself.”
I am not saying Christians shouldn’t talk or be active in politics but we should do so being very careful to remember that we could vote for the right candidates, stand on the right side of every issue and participate perfectly in the political process “and do not have love”… we have profited nothing
Hear that- Profited Nothing!!!
While it is usually easy for me to roll my eyes and scroll on by, I have to wonder if not responding is the best course of action. Especially, after we have seen how quickly ignorance, arrogance and hubris can spread like a virus and ignite murder in our hearts, minds and bodies. (Remember how Jesus defined murder.) I believe we have all seen the damage it can do and has done in our families, friendships, communities and in ourselves.
Even worse, we are clearly witnessing people we love and know get caught up in movements that know nothing about imitating the way, the truth and the life of Christ.
I say this rather confidently because I read the Bible and I know that there is no way that one can read just the first 13 chapters of Matthew and think that any of us are loving God with our whole heart, whole soul, whole reason and whole strength… and our neighbor as ourself…and then turn to take such a serious stance on issues that would not exist if we were moderately applying just the first 13 chapters of Matthew.
Yes, I really do think if Christians had been loving like we should, the world would be different. Seriously, can you imagine a world of people trying to out love one another??
So, how do we answer a fool with love? Obviously, we don’t answer them with the same loveless political and out of context christian-washed foolishness but we can answer them by standing up, reaching out and finding ways to love our neighbors and we can stop politicizing and christianizing everything. We can turn our cheeks, shut our mouths, stop eye rolling, give our cloaks, walk extra miles, lay our lives down (including our self-righteous egos) and we can, by the grace of God, strain, strive and try to love our enemies, our friends, our families and our neighbors. We can and we must practice love over and over until it transforms every part of our being.
BECAUSE…LOVE is what we want to be known for- “39Whereas I tell you not to oppose the wicked man by force; rather, whosoever strikes you upon the right cheek, turn to him the other as well; 40And to him who wishes to bring a judgment against you, so he may take away your tunic, give him your cloak as well; 41And whoever presses you into service for one mile, go with him for two. 42Give to the one who begs from you, and do not turn away from one who wishes to borrow from you. 43You have heard that it has been said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and shall hate your enemy’— 44Whereas I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; 45In this way you may become sons of your Father in the heavens, for he makes his sun to rise on the wicked and the good, and sends rain upon the just and the unjust. 46For if you love only those who love you, what recompense do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is extraordinary? Do not even the gentiles do the same? 48So be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 6
DeeAnn Dean 