As I am awake at 3:00 AM, partially in prayer for the sadness that I feel all around me and partially worried for my students who are emailing at this hour regarding their final papers and projects, I wonder are we nearing our final project? Are we entering the last days?  I am struck by the polarization of a nation and more 

specifically I see that polarization ebbing its way through to a people of God.  

I hear and see distress on the faces of the people I love more than anything.  And I am reminded of the warning Jesus gave his disciples that “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:21-22).  As I hear a people of God becoming more polarized around the politics of our country, I become more aware of Christian brothers (and sisters) teacher and student (parent and child) arguing against one another.  I feel the tensions between the sides, and I feel people turning from one another collectively gathering for one side or the other. I feel the passion of Jesus’ lament when he cries out “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34). As Jesus longed to spare his people from themselves, I long for the same in our time.  My heart cries out and tears stream down for what is surely coming whether it comes to full fruition in my time or a future time, I do not know.  As the Israelites were time and again called to repentance diverting approaching disaster for a time, could we also be called to repentance averting approaching disaster for a bit?   

I worry about this polarization.  I worry that too many have turned politics into a god to be worshipped.  I feel the passion that either side has in defending their position or their political person/party.  I see some claiming neutrality in one breath/post and in the next defend a specific position.  I can almost hear some reading this saying “not me” just as the Pharisees claimed the same.  Let me clarify, that at times I can identify with the Pharisees’ misplaced but, at least originally, well-intended desire to be a holy people.  The problem is as Cognitive Behavioral Therapists will often tell their clients feelings and emotions often follow behavior.  If you want someone to work on forgiveness, first you may ask them to act in forgiving ways and frequently the feelings will follow the behavior.  That’s what I suspect may have happened with the Pharisees only not for a positive outcome. They intended good by adding more rules and being rigid in their following of the rules.  Eventually, though it became too much for them and they were reduced to an outward appearance of being holy which only produced a hardening of the heart and a defensive attitude that did not serve them well.  In their leadership they led those that followed them astray.  I hear and feel the same intense defensiveness in the people of God as they defend their politics.  I am scared for them. I am scared for us.  I am scared for me.   

I have felt the passion of people who so fully believe their side is the right side.  I long for that conviction.  I have cried out to God to open my eyes that I could see as clearly as they.  I hear faith leaders take a side and I see their followers passionately follow and defend these faith leaders.  I ask God “What am I missing?  How can leaders that I respect and have trusted know so passionately which side is right?”  How I long for that conviction!  But I see these same faith leaders, at best, turn a blind eye to and, at worse, outright defend the immoral behaviors of their political representatives.  It doesn’t matter which side you’re on.   And I can hear some saying “that’s not me because I don’t claim either party”. Yet, their posts frequently are just as defensive of their own political views even if advocating for a third party.  They are just as likely to turn a blind eye to things that don’t line up to their ideas. 

There’s a rebelliousness among us that is justified as defending our faith. Yet, when I again return to Jesus’ teaching, he rebuked the disciples when they attempted to defend him against the leaders of the time.  The most obvious rebuke was when Peter cut off the soldier’s ear in the garden (John 18:10). Other examples are when 

the disciples rebuked Jesus for telling them that he was going to suffer and die (Mark 8:32-33).  When the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus by forcing him to pick a side, he cleverly refused to take a side stating, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:15-22).   When our passionate defense takes on an air of demoralizing others through angry comments, name calling, re-posting derogatory memes we’re no longer defending Christ or even our religious rights.  Our motive is more likely about self.  When I look on Christ’s example toward those with whom he disagreed, I never see him act in demoralizing ways but instead I see him look on them with eyes of compassion and love (Mark 10:17-27).  Did he get angry? yes!  However, generally that anger is turned towards those who should know better-his disciples,the Pharisees. I think Jesus clearly demonstrated anger in the Temple yet that was because his people were being taken advantage of (Matthew 21:12). He wasn’t defending himself!  The goal is to be angry and sin not (Eph. 4:26). The Bible tells usto exercise self-control over our anger (Proverbs 25:28, 16:32; 2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Peter 1:5-7; Galatians 5:22-23, etc). My prayer is that if we are going to be angry may it not be a rebellious anger that serves self.  May it be a godly anger that seeks to protect the vulnerable among us.  May it be a godly anger that is full of compassion and love for others.  May it be a godly anger that draws people to Christ not pushes them away. 

All this I pray with my whole heart, my whole mind, my whole soul!