Lamenting Either/Or

As Christians, where should our allegiances lie?

-Warning: rant (and poem) incoming-

How tragic that so many in the Church unnecessarily conflate their faith and their politics. And yet so many who do exactly this don’t think that they’re doing it! How many Christians today truly believe that “you cannot really be a Christian and vote for X or Y party”? The number is unfortunately high. How many Christians get more riled up about their country, their vote, their party, than about Jesus? I see it from far too many. So many disagreements and conflicts with people would be lessened or done away with completely if we devalued our allegiances to our political parties and elevated our fidelity to the Jesus of the Gospels.

And look, I know that even when we place Jesus above our politics, we will not agree on everything. But if we try to view our politics through the Jesus-lens first, instead of the other way around, we'll hopefully find more common ground amongst us. Because we'll see that Jesus will always confound our chosen political party. He will not fit. He refuses to.

I’ve been accused of being too conservative and too liberal. I’ve had people leave the churches I’ve pastored for both reasons. But it doesn’t occur to them that I don’t have the time for conservative or liberal. I can’t be bothered. The work of Jesus is too important for me to get bogged down in trying not to appear too “conservative” or too “liberal”, or trying to balance conservative or liberal perspectives. I must come from the Jesus perspective.

I know I’m not perfect in that. Far from it. But it must be my orientation or else what am I even doing here?

This poem is a result of some recent frustrations…

My culture demands black and white
Either / Or
A or B
One or The Other
I feel I must choose
Thoughtful Nuance begs me:
“You don’t have to choose A or B”

“To be a REAL Christian, I must choose…”
“To be a REAL American I must choose…”
“To be a REAL Citizen, I must choose…”
Thoughtful Nuance begs me ask:
“Are these really all one and the same?”

When Jesus contrasts with A
When scripture contrasts with B
Should I choose A?
Or B?
Thoughtful Nuance asks me:
"Is that the right question?"

What is allegiance?
What is fidelity?
To whom is it owed?
Thoughtful Nuance warns me:
“Neither A nor B is owed these.”

“And yet”, I say
“A/B tells me I must side with them
To be a good Christian,
To be a good Patriot,
To be a good Human.”
Thoughtful Nuance instructs me:
“Jesus defines ‘good’,
Measure against him, not A or B”

In the end
I feel I must align
With A or B
…empty my mind,
Kiss the ring,
The light in my eyes darkens and
Thoughtful Nuance grows silent.