You can listen to this week’s Devotional here
Author: Linda Kowatch
For many of us, we were raised with the idea that things and circumstances are either right or wrong. Pushing someone and making them fall is wrong. Speaking the truth is right. But what if someone is about to be hit by a car, you run out, and you push them out of the way making them fall? Was it still wrong to push them? What if speaking the truth would be life-threatening for someone? Should you always still speak the truth? Maybe we don’t live in an “either/or” world. Maybe there are more facets to situations than we currently imagine.
This past week I have heard two different people talk about the “nuance” of dialogue. They described that too many times we have conversations that limit people and ideas by using binary frameworks through which we see and hear. One example of this is when I think back to Martin Luther and the Reformation. Many see Luther’s 95 Thesis as Luther being anti- church. The truth is that Luther never intended to leave the Catholic Church; he had ideas on how to make it better. So, while he was critical of the church, he still wanted to be a part of it. How can this affect our conversations in today’s world?
One horrible example is the war in Israel and Gaza. The dialogue we are hearing in many settings is that you either support Jews or you support Palestinians. If you support Palestinians, then you hate Jews. Is it possible to love Jews and love Palestinians? The Gospel message is that God intends for all of God’s children to thrive. In our conversations and actions is there room for nuance? Is it possible to be supportive of our Palestinian siblings and support our Jewish siblings? Is it possible to condemn the attack by Hamas on October 7th AND stand in solidarity with the Palestinians against the Israeli government? Is it possible we love and protect our Jewish siblings from attacks in Boulder AND protest with our Palestinian siblings? Are these possible nuances of dialogue that need be spoken?
Life is much easier when things are framed in binary terms of being either this or that. It doesn’t require us to think and/or reflect on our own beliefs and values. God calls us to love, and sometimes it is easier to live in concrete binary thinking than to act in love. With love as our motivation, may we pause and determine how love will help us to listen, see and act in each situation. Maybe then we can hear the pain AND act to love all of God’s children.
Prayer: God of creation, help us to always be reminded of your love for us. May we have the courage to remain in dialogue with those who may have differing perspectives than us. May we reflect that love to all your children and all of creation. Amen.