Divided Loyalty

    You have felt something while scrolling your social media. A stirring of a strong emotion that builds and builds until you have to act on it. Tell me, has it broken your heart to see your community in dissension or have you been fueled and impassioned to join the war? Anger is easy, but it is a tender heart that God calls for. When we are betrayed and mistreated, the honest emotion is that we are hurt, but anger comes to our defense. Anger takes control of a situation for itself. Anger seeks its own justice. Anger seeks to validate itself. Sitting in our hurt takes vulnerability, it takes humility. It takes putting things in God’s hands and trusting His justice. 

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, or the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3-10

To my friends who are believers, why are you not mourning the sin that is in front of us? Why are you not allowing your heart to be broken for the things that break your Father’s heart? Yes, you are upset, but you are not mourning! You are not crying out to the Lord for His help, for His will to be done. You’re trying to defend yourself and your version of justice. All the while your heart is being hardened to the humanity of your neighbor who bears the image of our Beloved Lord.

I keep hearing people on both sides say “I don’t know how you can call yourself a christian and support (insert opposing social/political view).”. The Pharisees believed they were defending the faith when they set to kill Jesus and his followers. What did Jesus do as he hung innocent on a cross? He prayed for the people who jeered and threw insults at him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And Stephen, as his life was being beaten out of him by the hands of religious men, prayed “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Yet here we are crucifying and stoning each other on social media. Why are we not extending the same amount of love, respect and mercy to our family and friends as was given to their killers? If we truly believe that someone elses view may be leading them to sin, why isn’t our first response to wholeheartedly pray for that person out of our love and concern?!

James chapter 4 tells us this brawling between each other is a problem of divided loyalty between God and the world, and we need to mourn it. I encourage you to read the whole chapter, but I will highlight a few verses:

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure... Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”

God is searching for a people of broken and contrite hearts. They are the ones who seek God’s help as the only hope for salvation in an imperfect, broken world. In no human, legislation, or government should we put our hope in to offer a solution to what is a sin problem. Our citizenship is in heaven, our ruler is the Messiah Jesus, we will pray for His kingdom to come, and we will throw off every earthly identity and put on The Spirit. 

Now I must clarify that I’m not saying that christians should stay silent, I know some of you will want to challenge me on that. What I am asking you to test your spirit and intercede in prayer before you act. Do not be so arrogant that your flesh’s natural desires align with God’s justice. Pray not for God to be on your side, but for you to be on His. Check your heart, do you desire to correct or condemn someone’s stance? Even if you stand in truth, 1 Corinthians 13 says that your words are nothing but noise if you do not have love for them. Really ask God if you should speak, because only God knows their heart and only God reveals truth. If the relationship and opportunity is there God will lead you. If not, pray that God will use the right person, in the right time, with the right words, through the Holy Spirit.

This is my final plea; Please remember that your neighbor, your family member, your facebook friend is not your enemy. God has repetitively asked His people to be consecrated, which is to be set apart from the world, and marked by our unity, our love for one another. Stop standing under any other banner.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood ,but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

“How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3: 23-25

Make sure you are fighting the right fight. United we stand, Divided we fall.