In this election season how can we foster unity with all of our fellow believers, not just those who align with us politically? The polarized nature of our society is no secret. However, as Christians how can we reject the binary of us and them that seems to grow more stark as we approach November 5th?
The following concepts are part of a sermon I co-preached at my home church – Faith Community Church (Hopkinton and Framingham) – last Sunday addressing these questions. You can watch the sermon here – which unlike this blog includes the section preached by my amazing pastor on how Philippians 2: 1-2 calls us to unity.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
He spoke powerfully about the importance of Christian Unity. Out of the love and grace we experience in Christ we, his followers, are called to be one in mind and spirit!
I shared 4 ideas/best practices that I have found helpful in the pursuit of unity with my fellow believers. To be clear these are things I am working on. I am still a work in progress who falls short on all of this!
Each concept has a verse connected with it, however; the foundation of the concepts are not based on simply one verse or idea but are a reflection of how I understand the Biblical story of God’s love for humanity is to be lived out.
Philippians 2:3&4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Approach everything with humility & curiosity
I am someone who feels strongly about a lot of things, like probably an absurd number of things!
I have well-reasoned and nuanced opinions on a wide array of topics but I don’t know everything. I can always learn more and I hope I can learn something from everyone. So I try to approach conversations and experiences with questions, a humble curiosity to learn.
Two places I have seen the Lord use this attitude to grow and change me are:
Listening to stories from the lived experiences of my BIPOC friends. I am so thankful for the vulnerable and generous way many of my friends of color have shared with me the things they experience. Things I haven’t ever had to experience and could never know about directly. But through these relationships I have deepened my own understanding and learned to broaden my perspective. In addition, it has helped me be less defensive when I hear stories, in the news, on social media or directly from others. I have come to better understand that someone else’s lived experience is not a judgment of me.
A second time happened just this week. I had the opportunity to ride with the Capuchins and their mobile ministry.
Three times a week they take their van, full of sandwiches, coffee and a few other things to share, and stop at 6 different spots around Boston and Cambridge. I could write paragraphs about this amazing ministry which models accompaniment and community (and may do that someday soon) but for our purposes I want to talk about a woman I met at our second stop.
In appearance she fit many stereotypes of people who are unhoused or housing insecure. When I first sat down across from her at a picnic table I did not know what to expect, but led with some questions. I can’t explain to you how much this woman dismantled any of my preconceived notions about what experiences, choices and events led her current circumstances. While we talked of these things we also spoke of an array of things she was interested in and knowledgeable about. I like to think I don’t stereotype people but I was confronted with the reality that I definitely still do when I was surprised to learn so much from this woman about theology, linguistics, psychology and history. So I was definitely not as humble or curious as I could have been the little bit of humble curiosity I brought allowed me to benefit from this woman’s knowledge and generosity in sharing it!
Romans 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Find Common ground
We are not going to agree politically, or in many other arenas, with everyone we meet and are in relationship with.
In many cases continually canvassing politics may not be healthy for us or the relationship. Sometimes we’ve had that conversation, and can recognize the futility of continued discourse, knowing where we and they stand.
Where does that leave us?
Seeking common ground.
Can we then find other things to connect about? Where do we have ideas, hobbies, histories, experiences in common? Can we use those to build relational bridges? This doesn’t mean that we tolerate racism, misogyny or other harmful talk and action. That should be confronted.
Isaiah 58: 6 & 7
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Remember the foundation we share as believers: loving God & others:
This practice brings together the first two – finding common ground and humble curiosity. The love of God and others should be common ground for us as believers and when we disagree, when we arrive at different political positions on candidates or policies we should bring curiosity to that.
When a fellow believer has an opposing view about something I want to know why. I want to ask – How does your desire to love God and love others bring you to this position? What can I learn from the journey that brought you there?
Hopefully this can bring us to a deeper sense of unity. Unity is not the same as uniformity
Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Be bold and establish boundaries
In all of this context important – how we navigate a protest march vs Thanksgiving dinner vs conversations at work with the dude in the cubicle next to me will be different.
Christ followers should always be characterized by kindness. Kindness doesn’t mean passivity. When faced with harmful speech or actions, I will speak up, guided by love for those being targeted.
In addition, I maintain boundaries with those whose influence might pull me away from Christ, while still showing them love and respect.
A boundary might be saying no to discussing certain topics with certain people or in certain contexts
A boundary might be not staying in a toxic relationship – we don’t need to maintain close connections that are harmful to us or those we love – this is not what we mean by unity.
As I said at the start this is not something I have mastered, but with these practices I am working on finding unity with fellow believers across politcal-lines while continuing to unapologetically advocate and agitate for what I believe to be right and good! It is hard stuff at times. I am encouraged and challenged when I consider that the unity of God’s people is both an obedient response to his command and a vital testimony to the world about his love and faithfulness.
John 17:20-23
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
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