WHEN YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, THE WHOLE WORLD IS FROM MISSOURI

A Message for American Evangelicals

The other day I found a little book on the “take one for free” table at the Crater Hospice Thrift Store where my sweet wife Mary Lou volunteers almost twenty hours a week. The cover of this small paperback really caught my eye. The title was “When You’re a Christian, the Whole World Is from Missouri.”

The subtitle of this little book was “Living the Life of Faith in a ‘Show Me’ World.” So, I picked it up and took it home, and put it in the pile of other books that I have started but not yet finished. And then I started reading it and could not put it down. It was the catalyst for this blog post. Let us begin.

Evangelicals are at the heart of the social and political divide that has continued to threaten our unity and peaceful co-existence in our almost two and a half century old democratic republic. How can a force for good become such a force for harm? I think I have figured it out. So has James W. Moore, the author of my little book.

It’s simply not enough to claim you are a Christian, or to listen to sermons from the pulpits, or sing Christian songs or attend church, Bible studies and conferences of like-minded people. It’s not enough to become a Biblical scholar or to give ten percent of your income to the church.

The New Testament makes it crystal clear that we shall all be known by our fruits. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul wrote: “Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” That is, show the world by your attitude, your conduct, your tone of voice, your priorities, your love and your everyday life that you are in fact a Christian.

The word “believe” has the word “live” embedded in its text. It does not matter what you and I believe if we don’t live it and love others as Jesus showed us through His own sacrificial love.

When Jesus was asked which was the most important commandment, He answered with two that are so intertwined as to be inseparable. First, love God with all your heart, strength, and mind. And while you’re at it, love your neighbor as you love yourself. Looking at today’s littered landscape of evangelicals, one could rationally conclude that you could do the first one without the second. But you can’t. The believer is to draw upon his or her vertical relationship with God to love others to the same extent as we love ourselves. Really? Even love those you don’t like? Even those crazy liberals? Or the dangerous Trump followers? Yes. The answer is YES.

We know the answer to the old question “And who is my neighbor?” Read the parable of the Good Samaritan. Your neighbors are not just the ones who live in your neighborhood, nor just those who share your faith or political beliefs. It is anyone in need who crosses your path as you go through your daily schedule. The balkanization of the church is a testimony to our capacity to divide over all manner of non-essential elements of the faith.

My prayer is that evangelicals from all walks of life and all layers of wealth and power will finally figure out that their Lord wants them to be ambassadors of reconciliation, peacemakers, known by the loving and compassionate way they live and serve their fellow man. This is a call to active loving! Our new Speaker of the House says the Bible is his policy manual. I hope he doesn’t just mean the Old Testament. Seriously, he could really make a huge difference for the good for our country if he takes to heart the need for peacemaking and good will.

To all my brothers and sisters on the left and the right sides of the political and cultural divide, I say this is the time and place to show the world that your faith is real, to lovingly engage those with whom you disagree, to put a stop to vitriolic language ad threats. We shall all be known and judged by our fruits. Let’s do it! With God’s empowerment this could be the start of a true revival that could save us from our destructive selves. That is my prayer. Please join me. Spiritually, I am from Missouri. Show me!