For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2
I just got through eating sushi in Middle-of-nowhere, Kansas. It was, without a doubt, some of the least sushi-like sushi I’ve ever eaten. Something about deep-fried, jalapeno stuffed, crème cheese laden rolls feels less than authentic. Actually, the first two months of our sabbatical has taken us to places different from Seattle in many ways. Most of our lodging has been at retreats provided free of charge for those in full-time ministry. Thanks to the generosity of many hosts who place a high value on helping pastors recharge we will have paid for less than 10 nights of lodging over the nearly 90 days of this sabbatical. By definition, pastoral retreats tend to reside in solitary locations…off the beaten path. If this were a vacation, we’d likely opt for a holiday at sea instead of a week in Prairie City, Oregon. But since the bulk of my sabbatical has been spent reading, writing and praying…the middle of nowhere has been quite ideal. However, the middle of nowhere has also aroused a number of, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” moments. Just a hundred miles ago (give or take) we found ourselves at a golden arched oasis in the midst of the Kansas cornfields along I-70. As we awaited our caffeine fix, we must have looked out of place because a man (one of the five allowed in the dining room) asked where we were from. When we said Seattle, the look on his face was a cross between shock and pity. Let’s just say that, at least in the Midwest, Seattle has gained a bit of a reputation. We’ve also experienced “we’re not in Kansas anymore” moments in the countless Trump posters we’ve seen. Some of which were (ironically) in Kansas, including semi-trailers parked beside the interstate with full size advertisements for Trump. I can’t even repeat the unsavory message directed toward Hillary Clinton we read on the back of a car. We are simply not used to seeing such bold displays of Trumpism in our sleepy Seattle suburb. Black Lives Matter (BLM) is quite common, but Trump, not so much. Yet it underscores the fact that we are a nation increasingly polarized between cultural extremes with seemingly little ground in between. Sadly, Jesus people have been quick to jump into the Us Against Them fray. In doing so, they tend to overlook the fact that core elements of both sides in this debate are in serious conflict with the Word of God. Not only that, but they embrace their positions with a religious zeal bordering on idolatry. For too many Christians, the test of fellowship is not Jesus, but whose side we’re on. And it makes me wonder, in the words of the old Gospel song, “Who’s on the Lord’s side?” Having sympathies with movements or political groups is not wrong. Nor is it wrong to pursue justice or show gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy and those who have fought to defend them. What is wrong is when we allow such pursuits to make us lose sight of the main thing. And the main thing is Christ and His Kingdom. It’s not Trump or BLM, it’s Jesus! Our identity, loyalty, and passion is centered in Christ and Christ alone! If that is the case, then we must not allow our disagreements with other believers on these topics to breed division. Disagreeing is fine, doing so in a divisive manner is not. What unites us…Jesus…is far more significant than what divides us. But it goes beyond how we relate to fellow believers to how we relate to all people. All people are created in the image of God and, therefore, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of our differences. Debb and I had a wonderful experience this week on a beautiful hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked up to Alberta falls (see pic above), along with “one or two” others, from all over the US and the world. As we were sitting on a rock just below the falls, taking in the unbelievable beauty of God’s creation, we were blessed to see a very large family, with kids ranging in age from four to twenty-something. It wasn’t just the size of the family (11 kids) that was unusual, it was their clothing. The boys were all in black trousers and white, long-sleeved dress shirts. The girls wore skirts or dresses. For those who do not hike that often, this is not common hiking attire, especially in 90-degree weather! One of the older daughters was crossing boulders in front of us and gave us such a warm greeting that I was emboldened to ask the question that had been on my mind…if they were Orthodox Jews. She indicated that, indeed, they were Orthodox Jews from New York. What struck both Debbie and I about this young lady was her gracious, sweet countenance. In fact, we ended up speaking for a while with her father and I took the opportunity to compliment him on his beautiful family. He gave glory to God. When it comes to faith, the differences between this man and me are profound. In fact, when, in the course of the conversation, he asked about our trip, I was a little unsure how he’d respond when I told him I was a pastor on sabbatical. You’d be surprised at the diverse responses I get when I tell people I’m a pastor. But this man’s friendly demeanor was unchanged. In fact, we went on to have more great conversation as I learned that his mother lives near Seward Park, a place Debb and I love to walk back home. Why do I tell this story? Because it is a reminder that no matter how different people may be from us, we are all created in the image of God and deserve to be treated with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). I’ll be honest, it wasn’t hard to treat this family with gentleness and respect…they were so lovely. I believe both of us walked away with one blessing we expected, from the beauty of the waterfall, and one we didn’t anticipate, from the warmth of our conversation. Of course, the real challenge isn’t treating respectfully those who are friendly, but those who are offensive or rude. According to Jesus, it is that kind of love that reveals we are children of the heavenly Father (Matthew 5:43-48). And it is that kind of love that is the very opposite of the Us Against Them ethos that dominates American culture today. On the eve of yet another presidential election as tensions remain high surrounding pandemic, politics, and conflicting notions of justice, peace seems miles away. Yet the tensions provide a much-needed reminder that life is not about the camp we side with or our social media presence…it is about Jesus. And it provides an amazing opportunity for those who belong to Jesus to testify to the truth of the Gospel in the way we love others. Now is the time for us to refuse the temptation to engage in Us Against Them and to fully embrace Christ for us and Christ for our world! In Christ, Pastor Dan
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Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
June 2022
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