Aliens in America: Day 38

One from the Heart 

‘As aliens, live in reverent fear’ (1 Pet. 1:17). 

As a result of my expressed uneasiness over Trump, a friend (I’ll call him Craig) wrote me a long letter. He spoke for himself but also for members of his community who felt my reputation was at risk. Craig gave me a long list of resources to support his faith in Trump’s integrity. Running throughout his letter was the love and respect we have shared as brothers/healers in trenches throughout the world for the last 30 years.   

Craig never implied that the integrity of our relationship was based on him ‘Trumping’ me. He just wanted to convey that some of what I said could have been expressed more fairly. He also promised to go to the Cross with his animosity toward Harris.  

Our exchanges gave me pause to consider how and why I express political views the way I do. His words clarified what I didn’t see. More than that, Craig’s words deepened my love for this man. He is an exemplary Christian refined by the fire of conversion. I know: we have walked together through fiery seasons of our lives. He has seen me at my most haggard and my most holy.  

Our friendship deepened through this polarizing election. We still disagree politically. But we heed Peter’s exhortation to every Christian: ‘We have purified ourselves by obeying the truth so that we have sincere love for each other; thus, we love each other deeply, from the heart’ (1 Pet. 1:22).  

All this Petrine business about blood and holiness and suffering grief through trials—all for love! Think about it: Peter describes us aliens as those stripped of every security other than the Source of all-living—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit––ones subject to societal disdain.  

Peter directs us to one another—to our Christian fellows who, too, belong to the Blood: the fellowship of sharing His suffering, but also alive to the love that conquers sin and death.  

With that love, we champion each other deeply and sincerely, with a solidarity made sweeter by the fact that others don’t get it and may even rank on us in their ignorance. So be it. We have each other.  

This communal love represents Peter’s deepest conviction about the Christian life. How can we be hewn from the same Rock and yet divided? Our lifetime growth in love for one another mirrors the truth of Whose we are. The perfecting of love completes His saving love for us.   

Challenging yes, especially in the myriad ways we apply the Gospel in political life, ways that may oppose our brother or sister’s.  

For this, we must repent of any political absolutism. Our differences invite us to recommit to what is primary and deepen that commitment to truth.   

Peter makes this clear after his call to brotherly love: he says, ‘Remember that you are born of eternal seeds that will not fade or perish’ like splendid ‘flesh’ (1 Pet. 1:23).  Jesus won’t judge us on how faithful we were to Roosevelt or Reagan or Obama or Trump but how fully we loved Him and His people.  

The bruising and fear or glory and triumph we feel today will pass. Go deeper. ‘The glory of flesh fades like grass. Only the Word endures forever’ (1 Pet. 1:24). 

‘Jesus, thank You for loving us across party lines. You chose men and women to love us and to teach us to love who maybe we wouldn’t have otherwise. Thanks for the ‘Craigs’ in all of our lives. Through them, we are growing in holy love. Together, we experience the same Blood and Fire and inexpressible joy. We marvel at our nearest kinsmen.’     

‘Jesus, You are the King, and we are first citizens of Your Kingdom. Would you free us for You in this election season, not to hide but to shine? You’ve always asked nothing less from Your elect whom You have made ‘strangers in a strange land’ (Ex. 2:22). Here we are, a people who don’t know what to do but who look and listen to our King.  

“Father of all holiness, 

guide our hearts to You. 

Keep in the light of Your Truth 

all those You have freed from the darkness of unbelief. 

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son.”’ 

Amen 

Join Andrew on Desert Streaming each week as he dives deeper into his blog. Watch here or listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.