political Archives - Nikole Hahn

How to Act in Love

Even as I write this, I am reading political posts online that are the opposite of what Jesus teaches. Jesus did the hard work of showing up where people hung out. That’s half of the battle really. We can point the finger at others for their lack of truth, but they can point the fingers at us for our lack of love.

Love is…

Showing up when you say you’ll be there.
Actually praying the moment you say you are praying for something.
Auditing your social media. What is it NOT saying? Are you reflecting Jesus in your posts? Posting online is an action. Your actions need to reflect your biblical teachings.
Putting someone first above your preferences.
Altering your schedule for someone else.
Giving.
Being other-oriented.

We will fail at always loving others, but let’s try to succeed more than fail.

A Life Church post yesterday taught me how most people ought to act. Someone expressed their doubts about the Bible. Instead of getting defensive and angry with the person, the online congregation engaged the person in light-hearted, but deep conversation about faith and the Bible. It was refreshing.

As a mentor, my job becomes harder when Christians post against any people group. Angry political rants stir up anger and unforgiveness. That anger causes many people to not participate and connect with people who are different than them. With one worker for every one million unreached people, it’s imperative that the church engages more with people than against them. It’s not the worker that should do everything. The worker and the church work in tandem.

I know it’s hard. You feel threatened and America isn’t the same. But when has that ever stopped us from living differently than the world? Either Jesus will rule our hearts or our bitterness will…we serve only one master. Who will that be?

“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, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers,^[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:43-48

The Bible Challenges Set Prejudices & Beliefs

Anne Lamott — ‘You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.’

I shared an image with this quote on Facebook one day. The responses were good–the kind of responses that bring about real change. In my heart, I absorbed its truth. It wasn’t until later that it hit me.

As I raise financial partners, learn about the peoples on the move, and serve on social media and in the local church, God is challenging my previously held beliefs and prejudices. Again, God isn’t always agreeing with me. I am a conservative politically and to my chagrine, I realized how being an American and my politics had become an idol and even an identity. From our divided and violent country where one person’s rights override anothers that made me re-think things.

Sunday found me reading Luke 5:28-30:

Levi got up, left everything behind, and followed him. Then Levi threw a great banquet for Jesus in his home. A large number of tax collectors and others sat down to eat with them. The Pharisees and their legal experts grumbled against his disciples. They said, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary had this to say,

It was a wonder of his grace that he would not only admit a converted publican into his family, but would keep company with unconverted publicans, that he might have an opportunity of doing their souls good; he justified himself in it, as agreeing with the great design of his coming into the world. Here is a wonder of grace indeed, that Christ undertakes to be the Physician of souls distempered by sin, and ready to die of the distemper (he is a Healer by office, Luke 5:31)– that he has a particular regard to the sick, to sinners as his patients, convinced awakened sinners, that see their need of the Physician—that he came to call sinners, the worst of sinners, to repentance, and to assure them of pardon, upon repentance, Luke 5:32. These are glad tidings of great joy indeed.

My husband told me about an interview on Focus on the Family (I saved it to listen to later). A former LGBT spoke about how they can tell when they are treated differently. People assume certain things about you politically if you choose to develop a friendship with an LGBT. I said online, “How can they know Jesus if we don’t show them through sincere friendship what He means to us?”

In Luke 5, Jesus sat and dined with sinners. It is important to note that not once did Jesus affirm a sinful life. He became the example. I don’t know a single believer who hasn’t sinned (and this includes myself). Love manifests itself in the service and love we give to others by living out our faith. A pastor once preached that both your head and heart must work together. Too much of one or the other is ineffective.

As I get deeper into mission history, God is challenging previously held prejudices and beliefs set by my American identity and political beliefs. A tribe in an area that I can’t recall from one of my readings talked about how religious teachers would be considered remiss if they didn’t share their religious views with a non-believing person. If a person is drowning, wouldn’t you want to throw them a life vest or jump in after them?