I’m going to be honest for a moment and disclose a little secret about myself: I have a tendency to allow myself to be drawn into debates, especially on social media.
Okay, if you know me well, maybe this isn’t much of a secret.
When I see somebody say something that I fundamentally disagree with, or even that I don’t disagree with but I think the way it was said was wrong or the reason the person chose for supporting it was terrible, I have a hard time holding myself back from engaging with that person! I’ve gotten better over time, but I’m still drawn to it!
Because of this proclivity to confrontation and debate, I’ve encountered a wide range of people and a wide range of reactions. Some people are inclined to enter into a well thought out exchange of ideas. Others just say, “You’re full of ****,” and move on with their day (their words, not mine).
What I’ve noticed more recently, however, is that less and less people are willing to actually dialogue, and more and more people instantly ostracize others based on their difference in ideology. They immediately see the other side as an enemy. And they see the enemy as somebody to be silenced, to be made a fool of, or (in more extreme cases) to be eradicated. (Yes – I’ve seen actual statements made about wiping people out because of their views on certain political issues. Pretty awesome, right?)
This volatility has challenged me to take inventory of how I’m engaging with people when I enter into dialogue with them. But it’s also made a certain excerpt from scripture pop into my head on multiple occasions:
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48 HCSB)
Now, let me be clear — I don’t think this scripture was originally talking about social media quarrels as persecution. I do, however, think it had sociological, political, and nationality differences in mind. Ancient Jewish culture was a very exclusive culture. That’s why anybody outside of that culture automatically bares the title “Gentile.” This scripture challenges it’s hearers to view outsiders, those people who are not considered their neighbors, those people who have different views, different nationalities, and different ideologies as people they are still required to love. Jesus didn’t just challenge the Jews to tolerate them. He didn’t say, “Let them be around, but shame them a little bit for their ignorance.” He said to love them. He said to pray for those who persecute you.
Wow. Where does that fit in our current culture? Just about everything right now is viewed through the lens of persecutor and persecuted. God says to pray for those who persecute you. It turns out that this ancient text is just as relevant and counter-cultural today as it was 2000 years ago. Interesting.
I want to throw a disclaimer out that I don’t think this means we should admit persecution. I don’t think it means that we should shy away from public debate (although, I do question whether or not Facebook debates ever actually do anything – something I have to yell at myself for, often!). I do think that some social ideas are wrong, and that some are right, and that conversation around those ideas are the way to bring resolution and clarification and hopefully progress. But the only way those conversations work is if there is a mutual respect and an admission that you are talking with another person who genuinely believes what they’re talking about and thinks it’s the best way to move forward. Even if you think the person across the table (or the computer screen) from you is completely delusional and has no idea how the world really works, there’s no excuse to dehumanize them and treat them with contempt. It may not be worth having a conversation with them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth your love or worth being treated as a human being.
If you are a Christian, here’s what this means: You are called by God to love people, whether they believe like you or not. You are called to love Christians and atheists and Muslims and agnostics and Satanists and everything in between. You are called to love capitalists and socialists and fascists and anarchists. You are called to love heterosexuals and homosexuals and transsexuals. You are called to love pro-lifers and pro-choicers. You don’t have to agree with them. You don’t have to buy in to their arguments or their social ideals. But you do have to recognize that they are beloved children of God, and the redeeming work of Christ on the cross is just as much for them as it is for you.
I can tell you from experience that it isn’t always (or even generally) worth engaging in conversation with some of the people who have different beliefs than you. But it is absolutely necessary to recognize their worth in the eyes of God, to pray for them, and treat them with love.
The Endeavor 