A Different Conversation

Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?” He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”

He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”

“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”

Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?” Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho…”

(The rest of the story, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, is found in Luke 10:25-37, from The Message translation).

Like many people all over the country, I have been in deep sorrow and lament since the Parkland, Fla. school shooting two weeks ago. I’ve listened to the emotional statements from the parents and students, as well as all the reactions from the various sides of the gun control debate – all of which seem to be fueled by fear and anxiety about one thing or another. We’ve been steeped in this debate – due to the reality of gun violence and mass shootings – for well over 20 years. This highly charged, politicized conversation appears to be getting us nowhere.

Perhaps the reason we are getting nowhere is because we are not asking better questions. We have allowed those on either side of the gun control debate to control the conversation. And there seems to be no end in sight to the divisive squabbling that – quite frankly – I think we’re all getting a little tired of.

I wonder what might happen if we got together and started asking different questions…

Why do so many of our young people feel that their only recourse to dealing with the difficulties of life is to grab a weapon and end the lives of others?

How can we support one another through the difficulties of life, rather than ostracize and demonize the ones among us who are struggling to cope?

I also wonder what it would be like for those of us religious folks, especially those who profess to love and follow Christ – Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Mormons, etc. – to put aside our differences and come together.

In addition to the above questions, I wonder what it would be like to discuss, pray and imagine answering the question, “Who is my neighbor?” with compassionate action right here in our own backyard.

I care about people – all people: young and old; male and female; gay and straight; rich and poor; religious and non-religious; black and white and everyone in between. Until we see one another as worthwhile human beings, as true neighbors, friends and companions on this journey through life, we will continue to fear one another, separate ourselves and point fingers.

I want to call on my local colleagues and community leaders – the religious and non-religious; school faculties and staffs; parents and guardians; all counselors and mental health providers; law enforcement; council members; business owners; social services providers, whether government, volunteer or non-profit. Let’s gather together and start a different conversation – one focused on caring for one another, healing divisions, supporting workers, young people and their families. A conversation characterized by honesty, humility and hope in a community committed to doing the hard work of loving one another.

Perhaps as we let our guard down a bit and begin to have this sort of conversation, the answers will emerge. It’s going to take a lot of hard work - and we have to be in it for the long haul. I’m going to start making calls this week. If you’re ready to start having this sort of conversation, call me, 677-3575.