No Party Can Save Us.
having a side turns our hearts into stone
the greatest battles are invisible minefields, cannons, minds me vs. them, a great divide so, what if our hearts are too hard? the invisible enemy comes for us: "look at them..." he whispers, clothing us with bitterness, forging our hearts into stone shouldn't people be our hearts? less about party, more than opinions or positions, grace and truth canoeing in tandem aren't people also our champions? ears that see stories, mouths that water seeds, cultivating surrounding fields but what if we got the order wrong? maybe the good life, the new kingdom order isn't our likeness of... to be in power where running the race isn't me versus them this harvest, if not the next, can rain fruits like no other with justice and love birthing a new world order right below our star spangled banner adding salt, respecting each other with hands that thirst to sow, replanting upside-down living with triangle signs Jesus raise on the Sermon on the mount if we remember the two calls: love your enemy, pray for them and, do that too for your neighbor but we chose to dismiss only the first... as easier said than done won’t we just settle for a small feast? when our host wants to untighten our grip, our hands grasping vengeful hunger because none will leave unscathed by echo chambers, whiplashing anger, just indeed murder condemned all other thinkers as cockroaches, crushing their innate value—beneath our feet oh, how the enemy delights in division our debates as we shout: "yay! nay!" for wall partitions fighting from defensive positions, only to worship a blue or red savior to prove have the right answer, we dehumanize each other hiding both God and our neighbor but what is our faith for, if not loving different thinkers?
and still we think our world can be fixed only if...this party would reign only if we held the reins then, we'd have real order? but can a party save us from these chaotic waters? have a party become our god? what if we got the order wrong? what if our hearts are too hard? now, aren't we just like them those we profess... to be never bitter, hard-hearted, just... stone-cold, forgetting our neighbor forgetting our father.
Heart Call:
It’s easy to get blinded in proving a point that we’re more alike… than different.
So let’s pause for a second:
What political topic tends to stir up tension when you’re talking with family or friends?
How can you practice listening for what’s beneath the words… and keep your tone steady, even when it’s hard?
Photo Credits: Karl Edwards.