You have eloquently expressed my struggle with where we find some of the people that I know and love and have worshipped with for years, but see things so differently than I do in this current political world climate. It has occurred to me that Jesus may have had a hard time teaching the disciples that He had not come to over through the Roman government, but His purpose for Redemption was so much bigger than that. His crucifixion and resurrection occurred BEFORE most of them realized what He had truly been telling them. It has made me realize how easily I can become "earthly minded" instead of keeping my eyes on Jesus and how He would be reminding me of how to treat each other through the framework of the Sermon on the Mount, reaching the marginalized and those suffering in our world today, often due to the power grabs of others, who are not authentically acting in the Name of Jesus. How can we draw others to Christ, if the Christians they see are more like the scribes and pharisees of Jesus day? My reminder of my daily "response ability" is based on Micah 6:8, "The LORD has told you, human, what is good; He has told you what He wants from you; to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying you GOD."
Thank you Daniel for putting non-inflammatory language to this complex issue. I have struggled with the uncomfortable truth that “my” Christian Evangelical faith has been co-opted by politics and cultural trends and no longer resembles or esteems the humble admonition to love God and love others above all else.
You have eloquently expressed my struggle with where we find some of the people that I know and love and have worshipped with for years, but see things so differently than I do in this current political world climate. It has occurred to me that Jesus may have had a hard time teaching the disciples that He had not come to over through the Roman government, but His purpose for Redemption was so much bigger than that. His crucifixion and resurrection occurred BEFORE most of them realized what He had truly been telling them. It has made me realize how easily I can become "earthly minded" instead of keeping my eyes on Jesus and how He would be reminding me of how to treat each other through the framework of the Sermon on the Mount, reaching the marginalized and those suffering in our world today, often due to the power grabs of others, who are not authentically acting in the Name of Jesus. How can we draw others to Christ, if the Christians they see are more like the scribes and pharisees of Jesus day? My reminder of my daily "response ability" is based on Micah 6:8, "The LORD has told you, human, what is good; He has told you what He wants from you; to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying you GOD."
Thank you Daniel for putting non-inflammatory language to this complex issue. I have struggled with the uncomfortable truth that “my” Christian Evangelical faith has been co-opted by politics and cultural trends and no longer resembles or esteems the humble admonition to love God and love others above all else.
Well said.