I Pledge Allegiance...
Election year on social media is the worst. Everyone has an opinion on politics but it doesn’t mean it’s an educated one. In fact, most people just follow their loyalty to the party they’ve attached themselves to. Or they just repost and share meme’s of statistics and stories without ever fact-checking. They don’t read, look into policies, or try to understand opposing views. No one is 100% right and no one is 100% wrong, yet the right doesn’t listen to the left and the left doesn’t listen to the right. I have friends who love Trump. I have friends who hate him. What I’ve found is you’re damned if you vote R and you’re damned if you vote D. As if there are only two options…but that’s another conversation.
Belief systems around theology end up shaping your worldview and you must be mature enough to listen to those who see the world differently. If not, you will rot away with others who believe exactly like you do without ever bringing real change into the world.
However, I want to address the American Christian…the Christians who pledge allegiance to their country first and don’t realize it...and please allow me to be blunt…
Tertullian once said, “Shall we carry a flag? It is a rival to Christ.” If that statement is offensive, you really need to evaluate who is God in your life. Personally, I am thankful for this country and to be born on American soil. But my allegiance is to Christ; and if you publicly claim Christianity, your views on freedoms and rights must be viewed through the lens of Jesus. Sadly, many people today confuse their beliefs as an American to be the same as how Jesus would believe.
The irony is many “Christians” in the American Church today wouldn’t even recognize Jesus if he were to walk right by them on the streets. How do I know? Because He isn’t white and He isn’t American. He looks like someone that our American government has labeled as “terrorists” since 9/11. We’ve been engrained to believe that an entire people group are evil and it’s wrong. That’s why you wouldn’t recognize Jesus because he fits a preconceived negative description. As Americans, we’re too afraid to love people who don’t look like us. We’ve been brainwashed with racism, prejudice, and stereotypes that prevent us from feasting with cultures who don’t do life like us!
Did you know the Bible never mentions America? (And no the book of Revelation has nothing to do with America.)
Did you know God is not pro-America over any other country or people group?
Did you know there are policies on both sides YOU would agree with?
Did you know when we attach people to political labels it prevents us from viewing them as God’s children?
Did you know your die hard position on politics as a Christian tends to push people away from Jesus?
Did you know many acclaiming Christians in America worship this country more than Jesus and don’t realize it?
When it comes to policies and government, why is it so hard to love like Jesus? Why is it so hard to love those who differ in beliefs? The answer is complex but it doesn’t need to be. We must recognize our pursuit of the American Dream should never come at the expense of peace. We must stop hiding behind a keyboard as we type hate towards those we disagree with while we forget that as Christians we should be washing their feet.
For those who read these blogs and claim to follow Jesus, you will either love those who persecute, criticize, judge, curse, hate, and try to destroy your life or you can’t claim to follow Jesus. You are not an American first. You are a citizen of Heaven first. As Kenny Panduku said, “Your citizenship in the Kingdom of God comes before your citizenship on Earth. Yes, before your citizenship in this nation. If you think that your citizenship as an American will never conflict with your citizenship in the kingdom, your Earthly citizenship has become an idol.” We must stop trying to defend our rights at the expense of other human beings. As Americans, we divide over the wrong things in the name of “freedom” as it exposes our lack of it. We don’t know how to operate in the fruit of the Spirit and we forfeit our reign as sons and daughters in the Kingdom of God for the sake of being “right."
We often believe we’re fighting for righteousness in our political views but when our views miss the heart of God, we lose moments to actually be led by God. Rich Villodas says, "Evangelical Christianity in the United States is often characterized by a deep desire to have “Christianity” pervade our culture but not have Christ permeate our being.” Man, have we confused America to ever be a Christian nation.