This moment reveals something we already knew. We are a nation deeply divided along partisan lines. This divide is expanded by partisan news outlets and social media algorithms which strategically show us content evoking strong reactions to get more of our attention which is then monetized. Rather than add fuel to the fire of division I challenge us to refrain from partisanship and refrain from quickly jumping to conclusions.

The word remember is mentioned over 300 times in the Bible.  This repeated command implicitly acknowledges that we are often a forgetful people. The people of God have built monuments, enacted rituals, told stories, and written the Bible down to help remember. This memory includes joyful times like entering into the promised land and the painful times like slavery in Egypt. Remembering the whole story is at least part of the solution, equipping us to have the wisdom to do better in the future. It reminds me of the old saying, “those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it.”

If we are truly serious about following the way of Jesus, we need to be serious about following Christ even when it makes us uncomfortable. If every person is made in the image of God and we believe in God’s justice, how can we accept a system that seems to imprison first and ask questions later? If we believe in the values of helping the poor, how can we accept a system where some people profit financially from the suffering of the vulnerable? How do we offer a witness that is not easily dismissed as partisan but wisely framed through the values of our faith in Jesus?

Our witness to those outside the church will be greatly compromised if we make partisan endorsements. There is an old southern saying that goes something like this.  “Never wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty, and the pig likes it.” I don’t want to be a pastor covered in the mud of partisan politics. I fear that whenever we engage with politics at the partisan level we forfeit the opportunity to challenge people to think theologically.

We at Spring of Life strive to be an inclusive community. I recognize this is hard and complex work that requires honoring and valuing the image of God in every person. We seek to welcome everyone across the divides of race, gender, age, partisanship, language, culture, sexual orientation, and more. We acknowledge that it is harder to be a diverse and multicultural community than it is to be a monocultural and homogeneous church.

I encourage us to remember, there are many in our community for whom these conversations about immigration and deportation have direct impacts. I have heard stories of people in our local community being deported as well as others who live in fear of family members being deported. How do we respond to that as followers of Christ?