Confession 94: Brothers and Sisters in Arms: Literally

Last night was week two of the Beth Moore Revelation lecture series. Needless to say, the woman did not disappoint. We discussed how to live lives that invite revelation from God, how that we have to be able to change our conceptions of Jesus in order for him to be revealed to us, and how God can be transfigured before us. One of our discussions centered around a statement Beth made regarding living lives that invite revelation.

Beth reminded us that as Christians, we have God dwelling within us. God is in our breath, our blood, our bones. As Christians we are, as Beth stated, "flesh of Christ's flesh and bone of Christ's bone." In that sense, as believers, we are all related. We are true companions together with Christ. Beth's phrase was that we are "sisters together with locked arms". As Christians, we should be united, one body, not divided by differences in worship style, baptismal beliefs, religio-political tendencies, or petty squabbles about who should bring what casserole to church supper. We should be a force united!

The picture that immediately came to my mind when Beth was talking about sisters with locked arms was the early suffragettes, standing together in front of the White House, arms locked in solidarity with their "Votes for Women" sashes and picket signs. We have a proud tradition of standing in solidarity with one another in the U.S. Look at the Civil Rights movement, the early labor unions, the anti-war demonstrations. Each of these movements brought Americans from all different walks of life together to join arms and fight for the rights of others. And each time, in each instance, they won.

What is most interesting to me is that, in this country that has been born on the backs of people coming together for a righteous cause, we, as Christians, do not band together in solidarity to fight for our cause. We do not lock arms together to fight for the Kingdom of God, we lock arms against each other to fight about infant vs. adult baptism. We allow the Fred Phelps' of the world to form picket lines at the funerals of soldiers yelling and chanting all sorts of unholy things. We allow self-righteous men to promise people healing of anything and everything if they make a sizable donation to their "ministry". We complain to one another when the media gives a negative portrayal of Christians, when the government passes more legislation that makes "under God" a politically charged phrase, when prayer ceases to be a privilege at public functions.

I wonder what changes could come if we would truly join arms with one another and fight for Christ in this nation and this world. I'm not saying we should storm the steps of the Capitol demanding the Ten Commandments be posted in every school across the country. I don't think that truly makes a difference in anyone's faith. But what about fighting for causes of justice, and being unified about it? Why does Bono do a better job campaigning to end poverty than we do? And why are we not fighting to change our image for the better? Instead of separate denominational video commercials, how about an inter-denominational video that promotes and supports the diversity of Christianity? Imagine people of all different backgrounds and walks of life--a wizened older man, a young woman with a nose ring, a tattooed biker, a college basketball player, a doctor, a sanitation worker--coming onto the screen in your living room and simply saying, "I am a Christian."

One of the things I've truly enjoyed about becoming part of the pastor's wife blogosphere is seeing so many wonderful ladies from all sorts of religious backgrounds living their lives and facing the same challenges anyone else might face. I see so much more in common than I see differences, and I think there is such a power in that commonality, especially the commonality of our love and devotion to Jesus Christ. Just something to think about on a Monday morning. :-)

Blessings and Peace,
Sara