With Change Comes Great Opportunity

This past week the New York Times wrote:

From far away, this is how it looks: There is a country out there where tens of millions of white Christians, voting freely, select as their leader a black man of modest origin, the son of a Muslim. There is a place on Earth — call it America — where such a thing happens. (NYTimes)

I have to say I am completely proud to be an American. Forty years ago America fought for the rights of all people. The fact that color and race did not deter American’s from voting for the candidate of her/his choosing is commendable. For those who did not vote democratically and decided to stick with the Republican Party I congratulate you as well for not being deterred for voting for a woman vice president. These are interesting times in America. People are not being judged by the color of their skin or the sex of their humanity but by the content of her/his character (King). This is a step in the right direction.

Ladies and Gentlemen: There is no scenario on earth that merits disenfranchising a group of people. As a pastor, I cannot help but think of John 8. A woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus to be stoned to death. Jesus responds to the Pharisees by saying, “Let thee among us without sin, be the first to condemn” (paraphrase). One by one the rocks fell to the ground and people began walking away. This happened because for the first time the Pharisees realized that they were just as equal as the lowly, adulteress women and disenfranchised people. We are all sinners and are in need of grace. The woman was not killed. She was left standing with Jesus on the countryside and Jesus looked at her and said, “Since no one convicted you, I will not either . . . go and sin no more.” We are all sinners and are in need of forgiveness. This is what Jesus gives to every single one of us: Grace and forgiveness.

Progress has definitely been made in American culture but there are still pockets of racism, sexism and intolerance seen in every community. It is arguable that the only acceptable intolerance in America is with sexual orientation. We have come far but have far to go. Obama becomes for America the hinge in which our culture swings towards the acceptance and freedom for all people no matter race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or any other reason that would disenfranchise someone. No longer do Hispanic, African-American or Asian kids have to grow up in America and feel the culture declaring them as second-rate citizens. All people who fight hard enough and believe deeply enough can achieve greatness.

It is my belief that with change comes great opportunity.

I am proud to live in America but my citizenship is in Christ. This election stands as a pivotal stepping stone for true Christ-confessors. Obama’s presence as our nation’s commander and chief is a proclamation that America is not for one group of people only. What better time is there than now for the church to stand up and declare that which America is declaring: All People Are Equal! God’s Kingdom is for the outcast, the lowly, the disenfranchised, the Pharisees, the church leaders, the believers, the rich, the tax collectors, the women, the poor and everyone else in the world. God’s Kingdom is interracial and interdenominational. What if the church today decides to be about the business of love and inclusion and not hate and exclusion? What if the church emulated what God’s Kingdom emulates? What if the church was actually for everybody and anybody? Maybe, just maybe, Sunday at 10:00am would not be the most segregated hour in the week.  

I think our churches could learn something from American politics.