Know Your Enemy

Some may read this post and wonder if I've erred in judgment. "Stick to 'Christian' articles," they might warn. Some may wonder why I'm taking on a social or political issue (though I'm not entirely sure how any of this became political). But, I am a Christian, and as a living, breathing Christian in America, my relationship with Christ is a part of anything I do: live, breathe, or "be" an American. My words and my life should reflect Christ, regardless whether I am cooking dinner or praying, having a discussion with my coworkers or writing an article. So, here goes...

In 2014, I had "routine" surgery for Graves' Disease. It turned out to be not-so routine. I was re-intubated shortly after my surgery when I suffered an unexplained, unexpected laryngospasm. I spent the next twelve hours afraid and in a type of misery I would never wish on anyone. By God's grace, the ordeal left me with vocal paralysis, but able to breathe and able to speak. That being said, Pennsylvania's current recommendation of wearing face coverings to stop the spread of COVID-19, is a bit unnerving for me. To say it brings back some terrible feelings is an understatement; to say it makes it difficult for me to breathe, even more so. Add to this, seasonal allergies and a deviated septum, and masks of any kind are not my friends.

My husband and I operate a small business. By God's grace, we have been allowed to operate during this pandemic. I work as an essential employee in the transportation industry. We have not gone without a meal. In fact, we have been able to provide financial help to some of our children during a time in which they have been unemployed. We are blessed.

Even putting all of that aside, I am not at all in favor of the way this "quarantine" has been handled. Quarantine is, by definition, a period of isolation for those who have been exposed to infectious or contagious disease. If, in this country, a police officer kneeling on a man's neck for nine minutes (an act resulting in that man's death) is considered innocent until proven guilty, why am I and millions of others considered infected until proven otherwise? And if I have observed quarantine for the recommended days (14) and then some, why am I still being forced to wear a mask and stay at home? Why has abortion been judged to be essential, but mammograms and knee surgeries are still being postponed? Why is Home Depot's garden center essential and my child's education is not? Why can I go to a job which receives non-essential merchandise from all over the country, sending it far and wide, but neighborhood dress shops, dinettes, bakeries and hardware stores are forced to shutter their doors, leaving friends and family without a paycheck -- for months? I can't imagine what shape we'd be in if one of us hadn't worked for months. Some of those Mom and Pops employ, quite literally, Mom and Pop!

When was the last time a stranger walked up to you, deliberately hacked in your face and darted off? But it seems as though we are supposed to see this as an everyday occurrence, and the breath -- the very existence of others -- as the enemy. Sounds to me like we are dangerously close to being divided and conquered. I care for two children under the age of eight, and Mom, who will soon turn ninety. I wash my hands frequently and require others in our home to do likewise. I remove my work clothes at the door. I have adopted new practices, maintained those I observed during cold and flu season, and no longer do some of the things I would have done prior to this outbreak. I am using what I believe to be common sense to ward off an enemy -- illness. My neighbor is not my enemy. I have a problem with the media that tends to cultivate that type of mentality and the authorities who allow them (if not exploit them) to do it. And yet...

Christians -- and others, but Christians?! -- fighting it out on social media. Dropping F-bombs and hoping others "will suffer for being so damned ignorant." Turning peaceful protests into gun-toting "I dare you" events. Name calling and accusations. Are you kidding me?! We all have different opinions. We all have different and vested interests in what happens in our communities and in our nation. We can all learn from each other, provided we are willing to listen. We can all encourage and educate others, provided we are willing to learn. What are we doing to ourselves, people? Please, I am begging everyone:

Know your enemy. It is NOT your neighbor.

God Can Live With Your Sin

I stopped myself -- or, rather, the Holy Spirit stopped me. The other day, I found myself preparing to say the words that had been spoken to me so many times in my childhood: "God can't live in the presence of sin." I don't remember the situation, but I do recall I was encouraging one of the littles to do what is right. But, I stopped. And I prayed for the true words to come out of my mouth. (More on what God is doing to correct my knee-jerk reactions another day.) The truth that I spoke was that sin keeps us from having all God wants to give us and doing all God wants us to do for Him and for others. I left it right there for those at the kiddie table, but spent the next few moments thanking God for this journey. I realize that as I teach those in my care, I am learning as well. As I speak words that the Holy Spirit places on my heart, I am changed. My way of thinking and how I implement those thoughts is of greater importance to me because the reward is greater: children raised in the knowledge of God's immense grace and love, as demonstrated toward them. That is a reward I want to be a part of!

But the flipside of all of this is the parent I was years ago. I myself was a legalist, and I raised my children accordingly. I was trying not to be a legalistic parent, but that's also the reason I became a one -- I was trying not to be. I could not pass on the lessons of Jesus' grace and mercy because I, myself, wasn't living in them. I had put the cart before the horse, so to speak -- the gifts before the Giver -- and was encouraging my children to do the same. They obeyed. They judged others and promoted themselves. They tried very hard to please me because I could not tolerate misbehavior. I lost my relationship with them, and they lost out on daily encounters with Christ in me. 1 Corinthians 13, often identified as "The Love Chapter," describes the emptiness of putting rules and rituals before love. It also describes the dedication, hard work and spiritual maturity love requires. The closer we draw to Jesus, the better we are able to love others. My children grew up unsure of my love but well acquainted with my law. (Praise God, He is a God of MANY chances!)

The idea, "God can't live in the presence of sin" -- where did that come from anyway? -- is hogwash. Jesus came to earth as a man, but He remained fully God. He encountered Satan face to face in the wilderness. He forgave the sins of a lame man on the spot, and even healed him after those present openly expressed the evil that was in their hearts. He revealed Himself as the Messiah to a woman who had had five husbands, and came alongside another caught in adultery, lovingly defending her (not the behavior, but the woman). God has always existed -- even in the presence of sin (maybe, especially in the presence of sin). When I was as far away from Him as I thought I could get, He spared my life, sent people to speak a word to me, provided for me financially, and countless other acts of blessing -- many of which, I'm sure, I am unaware. He saw everything I did and loved me, sought me out anyway. For God, sin was not a deal breaker, but a master from which I needed to be rescued. He didn't turn His back on me, but drew me to Him. As a disciple of Christ, I am to seek out others for Him. If I am doing it right, I'll probably see a little sin along the way.

These last few weeks of quarantine have got us all feeling a bit trapped. The children spent most of yesterday playing in mud. We hosed off their duds at the door and straightaway carried them to the tub. I knelt next to each one, scrubbing mud from hair and ears, faces and fingernails. To imagine I could clean them up without encountering dirt, or I could stand on the other side of the door shouting out directives as to how they could get clean all on their own, would be foolish.

As foolish and impossible as being clean enough for a God who can't look on sin.

Let Us Love One Another

Have you ever pulled up to a traffic light and seen someone passionately, heedlessly rocking out in their car? I love that! Have you ever just sat quietly and watched people go about their shopping or play in a park? I can get lost for hours in photos that capture the mundane as well as poignant moments in the lives of human beings. And nothing rivals watching my church family take communion! Those who dress for comfort. Those who dress traditionally. Those who dress for style. Those who remain at the rail for moments on end. Those who barely touch down, and head back to their seats, heads bowed low. Those who lift their cup in offering. Those who sing; those who pray. The short, the tall. The dark, the light. The homeless, the well-to-do. The locals, the travelers. And, one day, many of these -- myself included -- will offer our thanks, not before an altar of wood, crafted by human hands in a church erected more than a century ago, but a throne, older than time itself and occupied by the Most High God. Oh, glory!

My father's family has a glorious history of faith, men and women who defied tradition, broke ranks, and even suffered imprisonment and loss to follow Jesus as they believed the Bible instructed and the Holy Spirit led them. I once overheard a Christian sister tell another, "I'll be praying for you," because they disagreed on the specifics of the rapture. Did she need prayer for that?! Christ's disciples came from all different walks, and still do. Christ's disciples began to look more and more diverse the further the Gospel spread, and still do. Christ's disciples worshiped in many different ways and languages, and we still do. And no two walks are ever the same. So, why do we have more denominations and sects and divisions than, I believe, the body of Christ should ever have? By all appearances, Nicodemus' relationship with Jesus was very different from the woman with the alabaster flask. Yet, both loved and followed Christ. Imagine Nicodemus chastising the woman for being so emotional, or the woman criticizing Nicodemus for being so rational. Can we focus on Christ, and rest on His ability and authority to judge?

I have friends whom I would consider much more liberal than I. However, I know they are saved; I know they are my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I do not question their salvation simply because they listen to music I don't, or go places I would not, or refuse to read the same authors I do. I am more conservative because I know how quickly I can let things slide. I am more conservative because I am following the path Christ has set before me. I am more conservative because I find life a little more daunting when I don't keep up with some of the things that have become part of my relationship with Jesus. Eternal life is not just something I anticipate one day; it is the life that began the moment I began to seek Jesus. I long for a day in which I will see Jesus face to face and kneel in His presence; but I desire more and more of His presence in me today. I am more conservative because this is how I identify with Christ. I don't want to miss a second, an ounce, a whisper of anything He has for me! I want to stay as close to Him as possible. And this is me, rocking out passionately, heedlessly with Jesus.

One day, when all of Christ's followers stand before the throne with only one purpose and one Focus -- worshiping the One True God -- the beauty and diversity of it all will put any of our efforts at inclusion to shame and will proclaim, once again, the magnitude and awesomeness of our God!