Sometimes I think, if only Christians would embrace the values of Jesus, so much division and fear would evaporate. Jesus brought people together under an umbrella of God's universal love -- God makes the "sun shine on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:45) Jesus ignored the social divisions of his generation. He accepted the unclean and foreigners. He welcomed women with a scandalous generosity. He befriended the enemies of his people and his religion. He healed and fed poor and rich, neighbor and foreigner, clean and unclean, believer and denier, friend and enemy. He also befriended the wealthy and powerful. Jesus' constant posture was an attitude of love. The only people he criticized were those who were so sure of their correctness that they judged others as being less than themselves.
Jesus' single commandment was this: Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself.
We have more than a year of election rhetoric to endure. In this year we will hear words of fear and division, even words of anger. Today's political discourse is largely fear-based. Politicians and pundits manipulate us with fear. Fear creates division. Fear provokes aggression. When people are afraid, their need for control becomes exaggerated. How can we live through this election year with grace?
This might help. Whenever we hear words that intend to divide, we can reaffirm our fundamental identity as one united humanity. God's love and grace is universal for all people. Every human being is a child of God, created in the image and likeness of God. So, whenever a politician demeans a person, race, religion or nation, the rest of us can reassert our deeper identity of unity with those demeaned. We can adopt Jesus' stance of loving kindness.
Whenever someone speaks out of fear, we can dwell in the energy of faith, hope and love. I'm told the Bible has 365 verses with the message "fear not; do not be afraid; be not afraid." We can let go of fear and trust that love really is the strongest energy in the universe. "Perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:8)
In the presence of war and violence that seems to hold no resolution toward peace, we can bring our commitment to faith, hope and love. Christians believe that God's greatest work is always to bring new life out of death.
We've been trying everything but love for a long time, and it isn't working.
Immigration, poverty and racism. Access to health care and quality education. How might our conversations improve if we looked at these issues through the lens of love?
What if we turned away from judging and toward healing? Are prisons for punishment or for rehabilitation? More and more punishment isn't working. Instead of just jailing those who are addicted or mentally ill, what if we intervened therapeutically?
Jesus described an alternative society -- the Kingdom of God -- what life would be like if God were Sovereign rather than Caesar. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. We can embrace the values of God's reign and imagine an alternative to the fear and negativity that keeps us stuck.
Reflecting in the aftermath of the First World War, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung said the external hatred and carnage of that war could only have emerged because it was preceded by decades of inner fear, hatred, and negativity growing unchecked and unrecognized. Seeing that the post-war era was not healing or renewing our inner world, Jung predicted another blood bath. It came. The Second World War.
We've waged decades of fruitless war, and it has not improved the world. We need to renew our inner hearts and imaginations. In fact, that may be the most important thing we can do.
Each of us can replace our inner fear, division and negativity with faith, hope and love. Each of us can be grateful for all the unearned grace we have received and become generous and grateful toward others. Each of us can recognize that everyone needs and wants security and love, and we can desire those good things for all. Each of us can become peaceful in our hearts so that we can bring a bit more peace to the world.
Gently resist the messengers of fear and division. Guard your heart and mind. When the pundits and politicians shout and divide, we can love and unite. If our world is going to heal, it will need the energy and imagination of our love and peace.
Lowell Grisham is an Episcopal priest who lives in Fayetteville. Email him at [email protected].
Commentary on 08/11/2015