The View from Outside

Confession: I’m a Democrat.

Within my small, conservative community, Jesus-following Democrats are as rare as a rainbow unicorn with a flowing cotton candy mane.  Okay, perhaps I’m exaggerating slightly.  And I realize many Christians live in very liberally minded areas (a.k.a. The world), causing them to be constantly aware of their difference in beliefs.  A grain of sand in an overwhelming tide of public opinion.  Now imagine feeling that friction as a believer, but experiencing it with members of your local churches.  Yeah.  That makes it weirder.

Because we agree about Jesus, right?  But that doesn’t mean the outworking of my faith will be the same as yours.  That doesn’t mean our convictions about issues have to match perfectly.  God created us uniquely, so we can strengthen each other where weaknesses lie.  We were meant to be a body, striving together for the cause of Christ.

Instead, we (Yes, Christians) tear each other apart.  Point fingers.  Place blame.  None of us is completely innocent, especially in this bipartisan America of today.  We’ve made mistakes, made judgements, were quicker to accuse than to listen.  That’s the climate of our country.  And it’s gross.  (Also, I’m Gross.  By marriage not behavior…..mostly.)

I’ve always been able to see situations from multiple viewpoints.  Dad used to cringe at my sympathy towards any losing football team, primarily when Washington was ahead.  But that trait has served me well as an adult.  Take declarations of opinion, particularly concerning the BIG things.  I tend towards discretion instead of loud and wild abandon.  (Obviously this does not apply to my feelings about peanut butter!)  As a self-diagnosed people pleaser, I understand this is partially because I hate to offend.  But a nice by-product of that temperate (and so unlike me) choice is that it leaves the door of discussion open with others.  NOT by refusing to stand up for core values or doctrine, but by picking important battles.  Trying to be humble deliberately in matters of faith.  Attempting to build bridges with words, not burn them.

Of course, social media is the worst for this.  It’s so easy to share anything when confronted only with a screen, not a person’s face.  Unfortunately, Jesus followers (Read: Me) can be culprits more often than not.  Has anyone else wanted to walk around with hunched shoulders and a protective turtle shell since this past election?  The comments, oh the comments from every side.  It’s disheartening.  And as a person who believes a little differently, I’ve felt strangely othered within the online Christian community.  There’s no room in the inn for a Democrat.

But here’s the thing about labels: They hardly ever define all of WHO we are.  Whether it be political party, profession, country of origin, religion, race, relationship status, or tax bracket.  It’s a piece of us, maybe a really significant piece, but not the whole.  So to pigeonhole someone based on our personal (and perhaps biased) interpretation of just one of their “labels” seems shortsighted.  

How do we overcome this unintentional prejudice that plagues every one of us?  Perhaps by following Paul’s example in 1 Corinthians 9 (19-20a, 22), “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews...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.”  In other words, broaden your perspective.  Put yourself in somebody else’s shoes.  Try to contemplate their needs before your own.

Living in a small town complicates one’s ability to diversify their viewpoint as Paul suggests.  But then I started thinking over our connections in tiny Maugansville, Maryland (and beyond): A cherished African-American friend who is like a sister to me.  Several acquaintances of same sex couples through work and otherwise.  Elijah’s little Hindu buddy from his class at school.  David’s brother and his wife who live as foreign teachers (and language students) in the country of Morocco.  Our Bible study full of intelligent, gun-owning Conservatives.  My cousin diligently working at a clinic providing healthcare for immigrants around the Philadelphia area.  A loved one who has lived both homeless and then imprisoned.  Families that have adopted their children from the US or elsewhere in the world.  As believers, we are told (in Philippians 2:3) to “treat others as better than ourselves.”  Can't we do this best by becoming familiar with those in situations different from our own? Consider the impact of your words on these people groups and not just our white, middle-class American friends.  Let’s widen our scope.  If David and I have semi-managed it without much effort in podunk Maugansville, I am almost certain nearly anyone can.

Yes, I voted for Obama.  I expect to see him in heaven.  Perhaps those statements seem as ludicrous to you as making them about the current president would seem to me.  But that’s okay.  We don’t have to take each conflicting position to heart like a physical blow.   Because you and I aren’t the final judges of an individual or their actions anyway.  God is.  So regardless of our opinions, JC gets the final word.  And we don’t have to agree with a person (or a president) to pray for them.  But we are commanded to love our neighbors (Galatians 5:14).  We are commanded to try and live at peace with everyone (Hebrews 12:14).  Perhaps that peace could start with you and me, one neighbor to another.  Democrat to Republican.  Human to human.  For if “God pays no attention to this world's distinctions” regarding people (Romans 2:11), maybe we’d do well to emulate Him.  As Christ followers, it’s the least (and the MOST) we can do.

 P.S. This kid president video about how to disagree is EVERYTHING.  

Hopefully, we can agree on that.