Reconciliation

I am starting to think that all these holidays jammed up next to each other is a plot to keep the common folk in line. Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years all in the course of two months. And forget about quiet reflection during Advent. So, looking back on the year for most of us hits briefly for about a week. Then we’re back in it for another year.

So, before we exchange gifts and drink too much egg nog, let’s reflect on the past year and not miss the fact that we’ve got what may well be shaping up to be the next Civil Rights Movement happening.

We practice racial reconciliation in our home daily. We practice “gender” reconciliation (not sure if that’s a thing, but stay with me). We practice personal reconciliation. What an amazing opportunity I have to grow in my own home.

Reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18 says, “All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

I’ve always loved that scripture. The idea of GOD humbling himself to create restore our relationship. The powerful one setting that aside for the sake of peace for the powerless. No man groveling before the throne, but God meeting humanity on its own level.

And that’s the Christmas story in a nutshell. God with us. With, among, beside, together. The most powerful beyond us becomes the weakest among us. God bowing down to humanity presenting himself in the form of a baby.

I’ve thought about this a lot in 2014. Privilege has been the subject of many conversations. And I keep thinking of this crazy example of God—the being of penultimate privilege—dwelling among us in the person of Christ. How that privilege is lain aside over and over and over again in the name of reconciling God and humanity. And how rarely we are willing to follow that example.

I can’t articulate my thoughts on race nearly as well as Micky, but let me give it a try.

I’ve started to understand privilege in new ways this year. I kinda got it in high school when my black friends were followed or watched in a store while I never had that problem. I could easily have stolen while they were watching my friends. But the jarring reality of a boy my son’s age being gunned down without a word in Cleveland shows the severity of the situation. I started to understand my privilege as a heterosexual man. Since my type “makes the rules,” we may not always think of others, and considerations for and involving and listening to people not like us is imperative so that we might have understanding and love and patience with one another.

Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers…”

The idea of God, the ultimate peacemaker empathizing—putting himself in our shoes—with us. Listening to us for 30 years before he spoke publicly. What an example for the prvilieged among us to follow.

In 2015, may I get my shit together and become more of a peacemaker, an empathizer, a listener, a lover of others despite their perceived position and despite myself. May I love both the accuser and accused and seek redemption for each while I seek it for myself. May I recognize other people for who they are regardless of their skin color, geographic location, social station, account balance, color of their uniform, who they choose to marry, whatever I think their sin might be, or their various thoughts and misconceptions about me and others. And may I see in all a human being made in the image of God and may I bow before the one who first bowed before me.

Many blessings of grace, peace, and love to you all this Christmas and in the year to come.