the
hill to die on
hill to die on
One thing is for sure. Living in Atlanta I have seen nearly the full dichotomy of views, expressions, opinions, and worldviews. Each day brings a new adventure and an experience to ponder over. Now I have been brought up under a certain norm of what I thought a Christian doctrinal morality would look like. I am beginning to find out that there are compelling arguments on both ends to some of the most controversial arguments to date. My goal isn’t to state my side or create a movement in favor of my view in this. I just want to speak on how each view is represented followed by what our bottom line is. Bottom line being the hill to die on.
This past week I got to be a part of a number of interesting events. Friday morning I went to a rally on the Georgia Capitol building steps put on by local pastors and advocates encouraging the care and value of treating our inmates responsibly as they “Re-Enter” society. I saw a number of people speak including ex-inmates, pastors, current U.S. senators, Brother Sean, and oddly enough I was asked to speak (to which I declined — as if I had something important to say).
Also yesterday, Sunday March 21st, I had an amazing day. In the morning we started bright and early in the rain feeding people at the “crack dens”. Just after that I was awe-struck as I was walking into Ebenezer Baptist Church (Martin Luther King Sr. and Jr.’s church) for their 124th anniversary. Oddly enough we were placed in VIP (not sure why… we are sinners too?) Amazing service and incredible speaking and singing. Jennifer Holiday sang … wow! I also met Martin Luther Kings only surviving sister! Only 20 minutes later we were back downtown at the Pine Street Mission assisting in the food line attempting to feed 300 men and women.
Not more than an hour after that I was arriving to Passion City Church at 3:30 (which is the first church plant of the [Passion Conference]). As I arrived I had no idea that Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman led worship and Louie spoke on a regular basis. I had met a Passion staff member, Leighton a few days prior and he got me connected with friends and community here. Service and worship were amazing.! Then chatting with the band and Louie Giglio afterwards was awesome!
Now I say all that to show you the ends of the spectrum that I see during my typical day here. Just about each and every person I come across is somewhat a believer or has some kind of relationship with God. BUT… the second you say a certain word in a particular arena… there is a dividing line that goes up. An unforseen moral and more notably a political barrier that arises. Simply uttering the words: republican, democrat, conservative, liberal, etc etc. are immediately recognized and handled with distain from thereon. Now once again I am not trying to pick sides or show you sides. But the one thing I can say is that both sides have flaws. One church I go to openly during the service promotes universal healthcare and the other doesn’t. One group of people blame the poor for the ugliness of society and the other blames the rich? The one and only common factor among everyone is the professing of faith and the self righteous claim to the answer to social injustice. Each side has great points. Problem is we are focusing on the problem too much. We are discussing on how to find a solution instead of BEING the solution. Blame and passing of judgment around here is a way of life it seems. The only hill to die on is the beach-head that Christ established when He proclaimed, “My Kingdom come… on EARTH – just as it is in Heaven.”
The everyday struggle of trying how to figure out the best way to tolerate each other will not get anything done. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning about new cultures and seeing the intricacies of new social arenas! I adore language and history. But once all that is understood, it should be immediately followed with action… more specific with the Love of Jesus. Compassion for the hated, Grace for the impatient, Mercy for the justice seekers, presence for the mourning, and empathy for the lost.
I decided a while ago to be quiet on these controversial issues. Not because I did not have a voice or opinion. But because for starters I don’t know nearly enough about what they stand for to make them a hill to die on. The quicker I am to disclose my political views, the faster I am in deep water! I will not use those words in everyday language. This isn’t simply because I don’t want confrontation. I revel in it! But I will not be dragged into an argument where the answer cannot be attained by oral refutation. Throw me into a conversation as to whether or not Jesus died for our sins and whether or not His spirit will change your life forever… in fact for eternity.
We need not take up sides of political standpoints but rather be the movement. Too often I have sat beside watching life going by and coaching from the side as if I had my Masters Degree in life skills. Specifically speaking and orating your political and religious views is like being a swim coach perched up in a wooden coup trying to tell your class how to stay afloat. Kids are drowning left and right but we keep professing the proper strokes… all the while the hem of our shorts has yet to touch water. Jesus is the life guard diving in head first swimming amongst his class teaching the proper movements in order to stay afloat. And He isn’t just showing us how to not drown but how to swim laps and win the race. Lets all jump in head first shall we? After all that is what He called us to… is it not? To be Christ? To be God with skin on? Lets be quick to hold our tongue and faster not to blow our whistle … but lets jump in the mix. Lets get dirty and go the places where our words can’t. Only our bodies can go there!
Jesus went there! Christ is the Hill to die on.
Shall we!?
-gtm
NOTE: i added in this quick video by Francis Chan that kind of relates to what I am getting at. it is also funny and very true
