I’ve thought a lot about Orlando the last few days, unsure of what–if anything–to write that would be of any help in the wake of such a horrible tragedy. People take sides on all the issues involved: guns, Islam, homosexuality, you name it. Everybody takes a side.
I’ve seen flawed catchphrases intended to inspire hope, change or both: “love wins”, “stop the hate”, “we must act now”, “nobody needs an assault weapon.” Again–everybody takes a side.
I’m going to dissect a few of these phrases to make my ultimate point, but I promise I’m not singling any of these out. “Love wins” sounds great and is intended as a “live-and-let-live” philosophy, but it is horribly flawed. Does ANYBODY who espouses “love wins” truly love those who disagree? What “love wins” really means is “come over to my side of the fence and let’s all live and let live.” Anybody who disagrees is a “hater”–and thus my point is made. You can’t “love” a “hater”, right?
When people say “nobody needs an assault weapon”, what they’re really saying is “let’s regulate who can have what so that there will be fewer mass shootings.” Okay, I understand the logic, but this kind of thinking presupposes that the problem is how EASY it is to kill large numbers of people while ignoring the fact that we have an underlying problem of people who WANT to kill large numbers of people. Why do people want to kill large numbers of people? Mental illness aside (and that’s a very real component), I believe it ultimately boils down to the fact that someone gets angry with (or hates) somebody else who disagrees with them or has “wronged” them. Again–people on different “sides”.
So the answer goes back to “love”, right? If we all “love” each other, we’ll all end up on the same “side” and everything will be great, right?
Think about people you don’t like. Think about the unbearable jerk at work. Think about the tramp who stole your husband. Think about the lazy brother-in-law who won’t keep a steady job and is always wanting somebody else to cover his mistakes. Think about the gossip who lied about you to make herself look better. Do you “love” those people? I’m not asking that question from a “should you” standpoint. I’m asking a real-world question that challenges the shortsighted mindset that we should all just be free to do whatever we want and accept that everyone else will too and that that somehow constitutes “love” and that everybody being “free” will lead to glorious self-realization that will make the world a better place.
It won’t happen. It can’t happen. Somebody’s “freedom” will always interfere with someone else’s.
The ONLY way our community, our state, our nation, our world can be unified is to be unified in something bigger and better than ourselves. Something that is and always will be the same and unchanging. Something solid. Something reliable. Something that is so filled with the traits we desire for ourselves–love, goodness, kindness, generosity, compassion, and giving. Something that inspires in us humility that doesn’t seek to constantly compete with others to “get ahead”.
There is and always will be only one thing that can be that single point of unity: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ Is and always has Been. He is unchanging, but has the power to change us. He IS love. He IS goodness. He IS all the things we need to be. His Holiness humbles us. As His love draws us near, we become more like Him. When we become more like Him, we become more like each other.
That’s unity. That’s the very definition of unity.
It may sound like a longshot. It may sound impossible. But think about it: what ELSE can bring about that unity. If it’s not God–the Creator of the universe, the Creator of ALL OF US–then what is the answer? The only One Who is above us all is the only One Who we should all look to to bring us together. There is no other answer that can or will work. Period.
Too many Christians–myself included–haven’t always done the best job of welcoming others into God’s presence. We look at the end of the road for those we want to welcome rather than greeting them where they are now–forgetting how far we have come in our own journey. You don’t need to get yourself “right” before coming to Jesus Christ. You don’t need to drop all your sins at the door before you come inside. You only need to acknowledge that He is the Way. But make no mistake about it, you CAN’T come to Jesus and expect that He won’t change your life. He’ll do it His way and on His time. It’s not up to your new brothers and sisters in Christ to tell you when and how fast you must be transformed (THEY’RE still being transformed too–every single day).
Laws won’t make us love each other. Laws won’t stop killers from killing. We all want to prevent another Orlando, but we can’t even agree on what they problem is. So I’m looking to a solution that rises above all the things here on earth that make us take “sides”. I’m looking toward Heaven and praying that He will intervene. I’m praying that I and other Christians will welcome people–people we disagree with–knowing that there is no other way.
I don’t know of anything else that can change lives, change minds, or change hearts the way our world so desperately needs it right now apart from Jesus Christ. It’s the only thing that I KNOW can work.
He truly is the only Way.
