Special to United Methodist Insight
Number 564 in the United Methodist Hymnal is a short prayer; "For the Unity of Christ's Body". The words should stop every one of us in our tracks to consider how we are relating to each other.
"Help each of us, generous God, to live in such magnanimity and restraint that the Head of the church may never have cause to say to any one of us: 'This is my body, broken BY you.' AMEN"
In the celebration of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem the effort seems to find it appropriate and necessary to rain on the parade. Continuing to multiply the division by defining denominational issues as a simplistic taking of sides continues unabated.
Efforts to make everything an "either/or" proposition invariably assures failure. The approach of taking sides with the goal of "winning" places almost insurmountable barriers to the hope of finding common ground. Looking at the bigger picture there are no winners; there are only those who lose less right at that time.
How positive and edifying is an "our side vs. your side" approach? Could the tactic of using the argument of "whataboutism"; i.e."They did it first, we are going to do worse!" be interpreted as a refusal to offer leadership by example? Is it being forgotten that God loves each person, God created all sides and with God everyone wins?
The observation made by John Wesley over two centuries ago continues to prove that "there is nothing new under the sun." Wesley said:
"People who wish to be offended will always find some occasion for taking offense."
The opportunity to choose to be positive, edifying, and loving and letting those who choose to be offended wallow in their misery is in place. Rather than taking for granted the concept that God loves each of us and we are invited to do the same, maybe the gift of God's love should be considered "as granted" rather than "being taken for granted?"
"Hosanna" the people shouted that day nearly two thousand years ago. "Hosanna" is a plea meaning "save us." It is still appropriate today. May God save us from mean-spirited judgmental anger, feeling forced to choose sides, and instead lead us to love God and each other!
Wil Meiklejohn
Wil Meiklejohn
Wil Meiklejohn is a certified lay minister in the Mountain Sky Annual Conference.