138. Lunch with a friend

Lunch starts off with him apologizing if I am offended by his having a beer.  He knows that I am thirty plus years clean and sober.  It is simply an acknowledgement of my preference.  My response is to ask why I would be offended by a simple beer – there is profanity thrown into my answer to add emphasis.

          He and I are occasional lunch mates.  As we sit on opposite sides of the table, we also sit on opposite sides of many political and theological issues.  What is paramount is our love of the Lord, the thoughtfulness of our positions, and our understanding that the best we can hope for is to not be wrong.

          What is also paramount is our understanding that we need each other. 

I have no problem with divisive politics and theology.  We, or at least I, need the opposing view represented and expressed.  I know enough to know that I do not know enough.  I also am passionate enough in my views that I can be blinded by my passion.

          We actually agree more than we disagree.  This would include understanding that as pointed out in the letter to the Corinthians we need to foster dialogue that conflicts with our own view.  We also believe that we alone our responsible for our theology and actions.  Thus, we stand opposed at times.  We also are both very clear that salvation, whatever that may be, is that wondrous mix of belief, grace and action. 

          We both think that each other’s political candidates are a joke.  And yes, they both are. We both agree that agreement is not required, but thought as to one’s position is. There have been times that in the tension within our friendship that there has been silence, and distance, but not rejection. For in that understanding of the odd life we have been called to live, dissension is essential.

          We have argued theology and politics, and will continue to do so.  We recognize that we are stumbling towards what we have been called to pursue.

I like him.  Push come to shove, I like him.  He, like me, values friendships that are not comfortable. That friends that offer tension and disagreement often makes us better people.  And it seems to be the first order of business with the Lord is to be better people.

There is a lesson to be learned, and thus I share our friendship in this post.

As of late, as the world seems to become much more divisive, we have got caught up in the divisiveness.  The we, I refer to, is the body of Christ.  Recently, my friend and pastor took a very public stand on a such an issue.  To his credit, my pastor stated his belief clearly, thoughtfully, and humbly. 

          One Sunday as he was teaching, I was out with the kids, a visitor to our congregation stood up and publicly attempted to shame him.  It could be assumed that this person did so thinking that they had been directed by the Lord.  But I think not. 

          Jesus was not one to shy away from conflict.  To simply state nasty things to a person and then flee was not his way, nor is it what we are called to do.  While scripture does lay out the steps that one might take in resolving conflict; publicly shaming someone is not that way.

It would be easy to dismiss my friend at lunch.  I have another few who are similar – we stand on some very opposite sides of the spectrum. As much as I think my lunch mate, and others maybe wrong, he is still my brother in Christ.  To distance myself is to abandon any ability to help him in his growth – yes – read into that “Correct him from his foolish ways.” I also think that distancing ourselves from dissension provides the cold comfort of not being challenged that we might wrong.

Not that I think I am great Christian.  I do think that we need each other now more than ever.  Any division, right or left, conservative or progressive, fundamentalist or emergent, actually does not exist.

          I have a relationship with Christ.  That relationship like all others will look different for me than it would for you.  Just as my relationship with my wife would look different than yours, or my relationship with my brother would look different from yours.

          These days, as the world seems to be a crazier place, we need each other more than ever.  While I might be of the opinion that others do not represent my faith, I do need to be aware that this is not my judgement to make.

          He also told bluntly that I should get back to posting more blog posts.