“If you don’t vote for Barack Obama in this next election, I am going to question our friendship.”
That was stated by one of my closest friends about six or so years ago. I thought to myself, “Wait, what?” This statement came from someone I love, respect, and have been mentored by over the course of many years. Someone with whom I’ve spent countless evenings in rich conversation. And as a people-pleaser and peacemaker, it knocked me for a loop. I didn’t know what to do with it. How could this person qualify all that we’d built in our relationship down to one defining measurement? I love him, and he loves me. I was at a loss.
I spent the next 24+ hours exploring the differences between Barack and Mitt. I dug deep into the issues, statements, and positions. In those days, I religiously towed the Republican line, so this was a major challenge to that line.
He and I got together shortly thereafter and I shared my thoughts. He then said, “I don’t care who you vote for, I just wanted to make sure you put forth the effort and thought through it.”
My line—my status quo had been challenged. And I was the better for it.
But as Christians, what about our faith? How sure of it are we? I’m not talking about the foundational components of the Christian faith. Jesus as Son of God. A crucifixion. A resurrection. And new life with the Spirit. I am talking about the other stuff. Our norm. Our line. How status quo are we?
Jesus asked questions like “Who do you say that I am?”. We can answer that one, right? But what about those questions that should stretch us beyond our line? Questions like “What do you seek?”, “Where is your faith?”, or “Do you love me?”. If we unpack His ask, those are not easy questions to answer.
“What do you seek?” - In seeking Jesus’, do we answer “You and God the Father.” and read our Bibles to learn more about Him, or do we run onto the open water and discover more of Him?
“Where is your faith?” - In locating our faith, do we answer “in God” and go about our plans, or do we allow ourselves to step off of the path and venture into new places that challenge our current thinking and reveal the design of walking with God in the cool of the day?
“Do you love me?” - In answering Him, do we reply, “You know I love you.”, or do we really feed His sheep—His, not ours—and examine what it is it that we are actually feeding them.
I was in a bible study and the facilitator posed the question, “What have we been redeemed from?”. Someone answered “I will probably be the first to say what everyone else is thinking. I have been redeemed from my sin.” I thought yes, of course, that is a cosmic fact in the Christian faith. It is a foundational and marvelous need met between us and a holy God. But to his answer, I replied, “Yes, we have been redeemed from sin, but what have we been redeemed INTO?” What is this relationship we now have with God moving forward? There is so much more that began in the days AFTER the cross. What comes with all of that? Do we limit it?
Now, I am risk averse. I don’t like it. I am often self-serving. I can worry and be fearful with the best of them. But when it comes to God, I am learning that it is on the waters, the off-plan events, the time with more of His sheep, that I find more of Him. And while I may find some answers, additional questions unlock. I am learning to find more beauty. A beauty that lives outside of a defined faith.
I can recall as a young boy looking at National Geographic magazines and seeing people from places all over the world. People with myriad skin tones, adornments, and attire. They were beautiful. But not to me then, because I knew what beauty looked like—through my eyes. But it WAS beauty to those in a world I was unfamiliar with. I just didn’t realize it. I am growing to appreciate that beauty lies beyond the eyes of the beholder.
When it comes to our faith, how willing are we to go beyond what is familiar—our line? And will we become less about merely (or aggressively) holding onto that line? Is our faith found, or will we go discover more beauty that which comes within the finding?