But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
James 3:17-18
There is a major fault line in our country and it isn’t the San Andreas. It’s the American Flag. As a pastor trying to know how to respond, here is my two cents worth.
When I first started working for a church, I was assigned oversight of the church’s teenage population: Ages 12-20. I was the youth pastor, the hired gun to control all the other young guns.
One Sunday morning two boys wore blue jeans to church. They were not your average church kids who came reluctantly with their mom and dad, but they were neighborhood kids who ‘wanted’ to come. They came to church on their own. But in the eyes of some, they were disrespecting God when they wore blue jeans. One parent in the congregation who did not like this, let me know how they felt a little offended and protective of the majesty of God. So after church, they said, “Some of your students are dishonoring God by wearing jeans in the sanctuary. You need to do something about it.”
So I asked him what the proper dress code before God was and he said, “In the Old Testament priests wore robes in honor of God and we should wear suits and ties in the same manner to honor God.” I told him I didn’t see the connection and these two students simply wanted to worship God as they were, they had no other agenda.
He looked at me and said, “Jeans are an active sign of rebellion going all the way back to the sixties with sit-ins and out of control Woodstock parties and orgies.” I said, “These kids weren’t born until the late ’80s, they have no idea what a sit-in is and jeans are no longer signs of rebellion, but rather, standard fare in every part of life.”
The man walked away in a huff. I realized we were at a generational impasse. As much as we both tried to argue our case, the more we discussed the more entrenched we became. I had the same sort of discussion with another man a few years later about drums in the sanctuary. “Those are the devil’s drums playing demonic beats that arouse animal spirits.” I said it is simply background accompaniment for “Lord I Lift Your Name on High.” He too walked away in a huff.
Another impasse.
Today while driving my kids to school, all over the radio were discussions concerning the kneeling by the NFL players and President Trump’s response. I think we are at another major impasse that may divide our country if we are not careful.
I, by nature and the way I was raised, have a deep respect and regard for the flag. I have learned to see the American flag as a symbol of dedication, sacrifice and honor. My grandfather was scarred from mustard gas in WW1 and the American flag was cherished by him. When France was liberated he was able to walk through the Arch De Triumph in Paris behind the banner of the red, white and blue. My dad who was an MP in Army was given a military salute with flag and bullet shells for his funeral.
The American flag means something to me.
But to a large part of our country, the American flag symbolizes white privilege and an unjust criminal justice system. Now to be honest with you, I don’t understand why that is when those who are kneeling make more money in one year than my grandfather and father, who sacrificed for this country, have ever seen in their life. But for many reasons, and some of it is from a ginned-up media conflict that brings in ratings, they feel marginalized in our country. Now I can scream at them until I am blue in the face and tell them to stop disrespecting my flag, but they don’t see it that way.
They just don’t. We are truly at an impasse, and race has become the demarcation line.
So what do we do? Do we get mad and ramp up the anger? Do we hate “one another?” Or as Christians do we become instruments of peace? Let me offer you a few ideas…
- Cool down the rhetoric. I wish the President would stop the tweeting. I want to support him, but boy does he make it hard. To call anyone an S.O.B. for voicing their opinion is wrong. Just like saying a person drumming on stage is a demon sent by Satan. It is language that adds fuel to already out of control fire. I pray for him and I hope someday he will quit the bombastic language. But remember, that is what got him elected, how can we expect a leopard to change his spots? Sad, but true.
- If you are pro-flag, voice your opinion respectfully and don’t accuse a whole race of being Anti-American. Stop watching football if it makes you that mad. Go outside, play with your kids — just be careful about venting. I almost wrote a whole article this morning that was nothing but hot air. I prayed about it, listened to the point of views from some articulate African Americans and responded a bit more calmly. When my Grandfather took scars from mustard gas in WW1, believe you me, kneeling makes me furious. But it doesn’t change their mind. That is the way they see it, just getting angry won’t change that.
- If you are African American, try not to see everything as racial bias. Some people, like me, really do see the flag as a great symbol of everyone’s freedom. You have to admit no to other country has done more for your race than ours, and instead of always feeling mistreated, recognize other races want to help bring equality if you let us instead of always accusing us. Don’t be so quick to take offense and stop letting the media get you mad. If you are a Christian, don’t you also have a duty to help bring peace? When the angry old men accused the teens in my youth group of being “rebels” I didn’t get mad at them, I helped them work through this misunderstanding.
Honestly, this issue will not go away. But if we don’t change as Christians, it may get very nasty before all is said and done. As it stands, so will I when the flag is flying during the national anthem. And as an American, I will give others their free right to protest. That is what America is about.
