Lines In The Sand

Recently I heard someone say we all have lawyers in our heads. I chuckled at the comment, but the laughter faded a little bit as the person continued—something that happens often when we hear a difficult truth. “We are all hypocrites,” this person said, “However, we find ways to make sense of our inconsistent thoughts, actions, feelings, and behaviors after the fact.” This is where the lawyers come into play. After the wreckage comes our internal legal team to prove that we are right and someone else is wrong. I did not walk away from hearing this laughing—the truth hurts.

Our world feels full of hypocrisy at the moment. Hypocritical politicians—check! Two-faced corporations—yep! Corrupted religious figures—sadly, yes! As we all attempt to have our internal litigators weave our stories in line with our values, what we do not often have time for is understanding. We are far more concerned with having our “gotcha” moment, than we are at finding ways to raise not only the level of discourse, but also the level of compassion. So, what seems easiest for us to do is to draw lines in the sand forcing people to choose one side or another—our side or the wrong side. We, of course, always choose the right side.

My pastoral care professor in seminary, the Rev. Dr. Kathleen Russell, liked to ask us, “Would you rather be right or would you rather be kind?” Would you rather be right or would you rather be kind? I like what my professor said, although her words often convict me when I am trying to win an argument. The Rev. Dr. Russell’s words cut to the heart of what Jesus speaks to us today.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” We appear to be coming into an age when we must define every category in which we belong and divide ourselves from everyone who does not fit into our own group. We are attempting to become insulated islands into ourselves. I used to believe that people could not possibly see me as their enemy and that I am not capable of seeing another as an adversary. How wrong I was!

We may believe that our day is more divisive than any other, but I believe Jesus was struggling with the same fervor and division in his time. So what do we do with the lines that we have drawn in the sand? Well, I find it funny that we use that language.

Sand is a moveable substance. It is not like stone or concrete or metal. All the lines that we draw in the sand are only as permanent as we make them. After a few days usually the wind or rain will mess with the dividing line we have created. We have to keep drawing that line to make sure it is still there. We are the ones that have to keep making enemies of each other. For God made us all in God’s image, which means we are all united as one Creation.

Oddly enough Jesus does not make it sound like an option for us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. To be children of our Father in heaven, to be the offspring of a God of mercy, compassion, and love we must love our enemies. God’s grace will always meet us where we are. I believe what God yearns for us to do is to allow this grace to flow through us such that we readily erase the lines in the sand.

We may have lawyers who are ready to argue every point proving us right, but I wonder if you would rather love another or be right. Part of you will no doubt say, “I want to be right” or “There’s no doubt, I am right.” And yet, screaming our arguments at others will only retrace the lines in the sand. Instead, Jesus calls us to go beyond what is common—being nice to those who are nice to us. Let us be children of our Father in heaven by loving even those who hate us. May we love our enemies as ourselves.