Living in Tension

This is not a post about politics. Instead, it is a post about the way we have conversations around politics and the Christian response to politics and those who disagree with us.

We find ourselves in the midst of very complex and multifaceted situations that have produced a tense and very polarized atmosphere.

The reality of the situation is that right now there is a group or groups of people who are celebrating the perceived wins of the political shift. These wins may be economic, social, religious, or something else.

However, on the other side there is a group or groups of people that are frightened of and mourning the political shift we’re going through. For these groups there are a number of perceived negatives that could encompass social issues like loss of rights, loss of representation, and discrimination.

The challenge here is that we must look at and engage with the entire situation holistically. For one side to only celebrate while not addressing any of the perceived negatives could send the message that the wins are the only important aspect of this political shift and that there is no care or understanding given to the negative outcomes that can come along with the new state of things.

Furthermore, as Christians, the call is for us to have interactions that are winsome for the Gospel. This requires humility and a willingness to engage in conversations, specifically with those who do not agree with us, not to win an argument but rather to hear and understand their position and experience.

For me personally, I find myself living in the tension of all of this. As a Pastor at a Christian church in America there are certainly going to be things that benefit me both as an individual and as a member of a Christian organization. However, as a person of color, raising two multiracial girls, there will most likely be negative impacts for us individually and as a family.

I, like all of us, am living in the tension of this moment. And all I can hope is that we can begin to have real, authentic conversations revolving around the positives and the negatives in this moment.