A “Chance” Meeting

Several years ago, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit San Diego, California.  We loved our time there, discovering that its reputation as one of America’s most beautiful cities is well deserved.

One day we went downtown to see the city on foot, a custom we came to appreciate during our many years living in Europe.  Instead of “doing” a city as Americans are want to do, our life in Europe taught us to throw away the “must do” list and instead, come to know the city by slowly walking its streets, relaxing on a bench, leisurely taking coffee in a café, feeling the city’s vibe.

While my wife sat enjoying the spectacular San Diego weather, I crossed the street to take a closer look at a particularly beautiful building.  After my perusal and a picture or two I made my way back to the intersection.

As I waited for the traffic light to change, a voice spoke from behind:  “Excuse me, sir?”  I turned to see a man in his early twenties.  He was smiling and appeared very friendly.  In one hand he held pamphlets; the other hand he extended to me as he introduced himself:  “Hi, I’m Josh; what’s your name?”  I smiled in return, shook his hand, and introduced myself, all the while wondering what Josh was selling.

 

You Two?  Really!?

Any observer of our encounter that day would have automatically assumed that Josh and I had absolutely nothing in common and, by all appearances, we had even less to talk about.  By all appearances.

To begin with, there were three decades of age difference between us.  Further, I am, to be kind, sparse of hair and what hair I possess is silver-grey, always carefully combed. By contrast, Josh’s head was crowned with an impressive set of medium and light brown dreadlocks – it was clear that he gloried in his full and exotic head of hair.  As to clothing, my college students used to call me “the king of Sperry,” for the way I dressed:  Sperry shoes, khakis, button-down collar shirts, and sport jackets – you get the picture.  Meanwhile, Josh was completely casual in flip-flops, tattered cut-offs and t-shirt – it looked like he was the second or even third recycler of all he wore. With regard to language, Josh and I each spoke English, but our lexicons were completely different and for obvious reasons: though we lived on the same planet, we were of different worlds.

Any observer might not only have asked why in the world Josh wanted to talk with me, but how he could even feel comfortable approaching me talk, as different as we appeared to be.

 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

“Do you have a few minutes to talk?” Josh asked.  Always up for conversation with anyone (just ask my wife), and as I thought this particular chat was going to be about religion – I responded affirmatively.

Josh’s opening question told me that we were indeed in for a lively conversation.  Politely he asked, “Are you concerned about the planet?” He proceeded to tell me that he was a member of a well-known environmentalist group and was on the streets making people aware of the need to save the earth.  With this introduction he launched into an earnest and heartfelt plea for what I would call radical environmentalism.  His knowledge and passion made it clear that he was a true believer.  I listened attentively as Josh spoke, noting his devotion to his cause, how convinced he was of his beliefs, and how concerned he was for the future of the earth.

I made no attempt to interrupt him, simply listening respectfully as he talked.  Only when he asked my opinion did I respond. I told him that while I shared his value of caring for the environment, I did not agree that the earth needed saving, nor was mankind a problem on planet earth. I explained that my high view of the earth was founded on my belief in the God who created the earth. I told Josh that as a follower of Jesus Christ, my God-given charge is not to “save” the earth, but to steward it as the property of God:  God was sustaining His earth and I was to do all I could to cooperate with Him in that work. I asked him if he was concerned about his relationship with the God who had created the planet.

Josh did not once interrupt me as I spoke.  Neither did he raise his eyebrows, make exasperated facial expressions or laugh: he listened very respectfully, apparently seeking to understand my point of view. Only after I had made my points did Josh thoughtfully respond and again with the utmost respect.

I listened carefully to him before responding to Josh who listened respectfully before responding to me before . . . .  I think you get the picture:  it was a genuine conversation in which each one of us had points to make, to be sure, but we did so by first listening well and then speaking respectfully to each other.  We were two people who did not agree on the most important issues of life. But we most certainly agreed on the values of respect, kindness, and understanding. Rather than dismissing the others point of view or casting stones at one other, we listened and we learned from each other.

 

The Cross Over, Not The Cross Out

After about thirty minutes, I said, “Listen, Josh, it’s clear that I am not going to convert you and you are not going to convert me, and I really do need to go.  But you’ve given me things to think about and I hope I’ve given you some things to think about as well.  I know this though: I have really enjoyed meeting you and spending time with you today. I really have.  It’s funny: we don’t agree on anything but I feel like I’ve made a friend today and I’ll tell you this, if I lived in San Diego, I would definitely want to spend more time together.”

Josh’s face lit up as he replied, “Whoa, I know what you mean; I was thinking the same exact thing; it has been so cool talking with you and I would so love it if you lived here – we would definitely hang out together.  Yeah, man, we are friends; we really are.”  With that, Josh threw his arms around my neck hugged me fast and hard (as I hugged him back), pulled away, and then shook my hand.  I told him I would be praying for him.  He thanked me and with a smile told me that he hoped I would see the light. Final smiles and goodbyes exchanged, I went one way and Josh the other.  As I crossed the street I smiled at all that had just passed between San Diego Josh and me.

 

Conversation and Connection

Our worldviews could not possibly have been more different. I am a follower of Jesus Christ:  my life is defined by the One who died to save me from my sin and give me eternal life.  I am convinced that the God revealed in Scripture is the one and only true God.  It is He who has created and is sustaining the heavens and earth, it is He who has sent His Son into the world to save lost mankind from our sins, it is He who has promised to form new heavens and a new earth from the old – a redeemed creation, free of sin, decay, and death.

Josh believes none of this.  He is convinced there is no God but mother earth, no personal Designer of his life.  Josh sees no evidence of the biblical Creator in the heavens and or the earth that he is so committed to saving.  For Josh, there is no God presently sustaining the earth, and he has no need of a Savior because he is not “lost” in sin. For Josh, there is no new heavens and earth to come, only Gaia, the mythological mother of all things, the one who, at all costs, must be saved so she can go on living.

I believe in a God who saves.  Josh believes in a god(dess) who must be saved.  We couldn’t have more diametrically opposite worldviews – we couldn’t have been more polar opposites when it came to our beliefs about God, truth, why the world is here, and where we and the world are going.

And yet, we were able to share conversation, listening respectfully to each other and seeking to understand each other.  And yet, we were able to personally connect.

There was no name-calling or labeling. No abuse or rudeness. No personal attacks or condemnation.

No harangue or harassment. No defamation or casting of stones. There was not even any closing of ears.

There was only . . . Respect.  Deference. Humility.  Listening.  Consideration. Thought.  Thoughtfulness.  Gentleness.  Understanding. Peace.

And because we walked these shared values, we were able to do more than just talk about issues: we were able to connect as individuals, as people with the shared interest of seeking the truth.  It wasn’t about proving the other guy wrong in his beliefs or despicable in his person; it was a shared search for truth and being set free by it.

 

The Biggest Unreported News Story in America

As I follow the news (I do not say “watch” because all of the “stuff” drove me away from broadcast and cable news a long time ago)I see very little of this kind of conversation or the mutual respect and simple kindness that make it possible. Instead, the air – public and private – is filled with nuclear wars of anger, defamatory attack, and character assassination.

Unreported amidst all of the ranting and raging that fills the media is the most serious news story in America today:  the death of virtue.

The seven classic virtues that defined Western Civilization for centuries – faith, hope, love, moderation, courage, wisdom and justice – lie bleeding in our hands today. In their place are the inhaling-exhaling of the new twin “virtues” of faithlessness-distrust, despair-suspicion, hate-attack, indulgence-violence, moral weakness-mob mentality, ignorance-imprudence, and revenge-destruction.  We no longer seem capable of the most basic bridge-builders of human relationships: humility, respect, and understanding.  Worse, it seems we are incapable of even desiring these virtues or bridge-builders.

 

The Saddest News Story in America

This in itself is sad enough, but sadder still is the presence of this cancer in the body of Christ.

So often today a difference of opinion – theological, doxological, ecclesiastical, societal, social, political, etc., – is taken as righteous cause for the rabid condemnation of those made righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus.  Accusation, argument, and personal destruction have come to find an all-too comfortable seat in the household of God.  We need look no further than social media for proof. Even ministers groups on social media often overflow with brother attacking brother and sister shaming sister; name calling, revenge-as-justice, and even the questioning of another person’s salvation.

How can we preach “God so loved the world,” when the love of God we talk about doesn’t walk about between us?

How will the world accept the Prince of Peace we proclaim when the peace we offer others doesn’t even thrive between us?

Why would anyone come among the Spirit-born when the fruit of the Spirit, i.e., love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control are as foreign to us in the church as they are to those outside the church?

Why would anyone believe our message of God’s grace and mercy when we cannot even discuss our differences with grace and mercy, when we struggle against brothers and sisters rather than the spiritual forces that would divide us – and are in fact doing just that (Ephesians 6.12)?

How can followers of Christ expect to win a world to Jesus when He isn’t powerful enough to save us from ourselves? 

Maybe, just maybe, this is precisely why the world doesn’t come to Christ: our lack of love demonstrates that the Jesus we say we believe in is just one more fairy tale:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13.34-35

 

Partakers of The One Bread  

But still we gather easily around the table of the Crucified One to take “holy communion.” Comfortably, we bow our heads and partake of the one bread and drink of the one cup, symbols of our communion with God through Jesus – and of our communion with each other in Jesus.

Did the Apostle Paul see our day when he wrote this life-and-death warrant in I Corinthians 11.27-29:

“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.”

 

Final Thought:  The Weapons of Our Warfare

I had the privilege of being a part of a missions team that established a Bible College in the nation of Ukraine during its earliest days of independence.  It was an unforgettable experience teaching and training so many quality young adults from Ukraine and other former Soviet bloc countries.  But living and working in close proximity was a new experience for most of us.  Add to this the intensity of our studies and daily ministry and it was a formula for making people’s differences apparent. Small disagreements became substantial divisions as students chose sides in the “Who’s right, who’s wrong” campaign.  Tempers flared.

I became aware of this conflict on the morning of a day when I was scheduled to preach in our daily chapel.  Between class and chapel I enlisted several students to help me prepare a sermon object lesson. We hurried outside to collect as many fist-sized rocks as we could and then to form them in a pyramid of sorts in front of the chapel pulpit.  Chapel worship began as normal, everyone raising voices, hands, and hearts to worship God as usual.

The sermon that day however was anything but “usual.”  Setting my Bible on the pulpit, I read the John 8 account of Jesus and the adulteress woman.  Finishing my reading, I referenced the disagreements and division that marked our faith community. Stepping into the gap between the platform and the students I symbolically set myself between them and the Word of God.  Facing the students, I held out a rock and invited anyone without sin or fault to come take the rock from my hand and stone his or her “opponent.”  Not one student moved so I issued my challenge again.  Still no one moved. One final time I invited them to turn their attitudes into action and so deal with the one they called their opponent.

No one moved and the stones stayed in their place.

But the students did not remain in their place.  As I called them to prayer, students began to move to each other, asking and giving forgiveness.  Grace flowed as followers of Christ put down the weapons of the world – hammers and nails – and picked up the weapons of Jesus – crosses.  Humility and respect, acceptance and understanding flowed that day as brothers and sisters laid down their lives, not in dying for Jesus, but in living as Jesus lived among all people, be they saints or sinners.

Even when talking with an earth-first Josh.  Even when talking with a Jesus-first Alan.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  Colossians 3.12

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“In the early years when I was becoming a pastor,
I needed a pastor.”
Eugene H. Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir