BRIDGE THE DIVIDE
Living Stones Series: First Published in All Around Old Bridge Publication – July 2020, Pastor Lloyd Pulley
What a divide we are now witnessing within our great nation, one founded on a strong biblical foundation; with equality, certain unalienable rights, liberty and justice for all people. This solid foundation is what has made America great, even the best in the world. And now we see through the tainted lens of the newsfeed and censored social media the appearance of this great nation falling apart. But is it really? Perhaps that is what the powers that be would persuade us to believe, but that is just not true in middle America or in the church. I look at my own church body, representing nearly fifty nations, as a family. I see a group of people united, having intrinsic value, created in the image of God and saved by the blood of His Son.
Recently I sat down with Pastor Robert Baltodano for a new series on The Bridge Radio's program, Bridge Bible Talk, called The Church Above the Noise. We had a conversation with Ray Dash, a black pastor who leads a congregation in Newark, New Jersey, and Joe DeProssimo, a former police officer now pastoring a church in the New Jersey suburbs. You can listen to that conversation on bridgeradio.org. We addressed the issues that threaten to divide us in this time of uncertainty with COVID-19, racial tensions and misinformation. These are necessary conversations to have if we want to more effectively communicate that message of redemption the Bible proclaims.
The Bible speaks about the intrinsic value of each individual. The pressure now is to identify people in groups, sizing them up based upon outward appearances. How hollow it is when we are sized up by beauty, wealth and all other superficial aspects. We need to see past the exterior and ask ourselves just how important these obvious dividers actually are. If we would set these things aside, engaging people as people, we would find ourselves with expanded hearts! That is what happens when we don’t get caught up in groups or labels or cliques; we begin to see people as God sees them! I certainly have been broadened encountering people of all sorts of backgrounds in mission travel. Learning cultures other than our own enlarges our hearts. Having a listening ear instead of engaging in a shouting match would be a great exercise for us all. Crossing ethnic and socio-economic barriers you will discover people are people and worthy of your respect. But we also must be allowed the freedom to disagree with one another civilly.
Why don’t more of us reach out? Is it that we are just generally lazy, gravitating towards those most like us? The truth is that by nature we love ourselves and it is easiest to be around people who are most like us. Some of us avoid engaging others out of fear, awkwardness or intimidation. How surprised we would be to find that we have much more in common than not!
We all need to be stretched in this area. In 1 Corinthians Paul corrected the church as they were not waiting for each other in the sharing of the Lord’s Supper, discriminating against the poor among them. We see in the epistle of James the division of the rich and poor, giving honor to the rich to gain advantage. But Jeremiah 9:23-24a says, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me…" It is not about wisdom, might or riches. The real issue isn’t about skin color, gender, political party, or any other major divider of men. It is about knowing God. It is an issue of the heart and there is only One who can change that. If we would only approach it one person at a time, really touching the heart of people with genuine concern and the Word of God, we would see real change.
During the racial unrest in the 1970’s, I was suspended for five days for accosting a black student for stealing something of mine. A wise and kind black principal inspired me as I complained about my punishment. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Lloyd, you’re a good student. Why are you getting involved in this? You are bigger than this." That kindness settled my heart. But it wasn’t until I believed in Jesus in my first year of college that I finally saw all people through the lens of God. I lamented the missed opportunities to meet and know many wonderful people outside my ethnicity. But it started me on a journey even to this day of cherishing people of all kinds. In a large church it is easy to gravitate towards the comfort zone of those most like you, but avoid that! Bring others into your circle! We may not be able to change the powers moving to divide us, but we can unite one amazing person at a time!
We are bigger than this.