This last political season I think we all became aware of the drastically differing views and opinions people have. Personally, I was shocked by how extremely different some of them were than mine. The media even compounded this by magnifying the differences between groups and thus promoted divisiveness. It was so easy for me to think I was on the right side. Truthfully, if I have to admit, at times I even felt a little more righteous than the people or groups who thought differently than me.
I was reminded and convicted a recent Sunday of this way of thinking. Except for the grace of God, I am not any more righteous than the person who has a completely opposite political view than me. My sin is just as great and wretched as any other person that exists – period! However, God makes me righteous by His death on the cross. God is the epitome of what I should model. Because He reached out in love to me as a wretched sinner, He calls me to do the same. He is not asking me to accept the differing views of another person or their sin, but He does call me to love the sinner.
As we interact with our neighbors and people that aren’t like us, let us first and foremost remember God’s grace to us. Let’s answer God’s call and take specific action by thinking of intentional ways to share God’s love with those not like us. This will be more powerful in creating change than any political view or policy ever could.
Mr. Dan Kuiper
Administrator