It's Political Obviously

"There are two kinds of people in the world"—is the saying that comes to mind when people say things like "Well they do this and we'd never do that."  In light of recent events in our nation, there's a lot of this categorizing going on. The "they" are blacks being targeted by white cops or white cops or immigrants, especially undocumented Latinos. The world has been collectively reduced to two categories of people—blacks and whites, documented and undocumented, immigrants or descendants of immigrants. It's unfortunate to hear, but what really gets under my skin is Christians who speak this way.

Galatians 3:28 is clear—there's no room for xenophobia in the church. Can I get a witness? I'm serious. I don't place large amounts of value or human dignity on what political side you lean towards or fall on. Nor on the color of your skin. Nor on your ethnic background. Nor if you are man or woman. Nor if you are a Christian or not. If you are human, you have value. It is the gospel that compels me to think in this way, not some great amazing quality that I dug up deep within my own soul from my own strength. Paul tells the Galatians it's not about their culture (Jew or Greek) nor about their economic standing (slave or free) nor about their sex (male or female) but that we "are all one in Christ Jesus." What does this mean? It means that a Christian from Mexico, another from Guatemala, and another whose ancestors are from the continent of Africa, can, will, and should find unity first in their identity as Christ followers.

You can cheer for Donald Trump, and I'll still assign value to your life because of the gospel. You can vote for him if you so desire, but recognize that he makes blanket statements that you would not like if they were made about you and one of your identifying factors. When you see the world as us and them, it's easy to think there's a plank in their eyes, and only a speck in ours. But the gospel tells us the opposite. Tim Keller says that the difference between Christians and religious people is the Christian always thinks there's a plank in his own eye and a speck in everyone else's. The religious person thinks the opposite.
I think Trump categorizes people too quickly and doesn't seem to recognize the deep and beautiful complexity of people of different races, different economic standing, and different walks of life. (Also, if your argument is the immigrants are taking all the jobs, please read this counter argument from the Niskanen Center.) There is an amazing potential for the churches of our melting-pot country to tap into. That potential is to embody Galatians 3 in a way that makes the world desire what we have. The rich & powerful centurion, the Samaritan, the poor widow, the prostitute—they all have a place in God's kingdom. It is no different today: the white cop, the protester who desires police reform, the undocumented Mexican and the documented Italian—they all have a place in God's kingdom on earth. They all [should] belong to the American church, and they are part of what makes the American church so diversely beautiful.

We reject the either or
They can’t define us anymore
Cause if it’s us or them
It’s us for them
It’s us for them
-Gungor