From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point
of view;
even though we once knew Christ from a human point of
view,
we know him no longer in that way. 2
Cor. 5:6
Most Christians never consider the extent of dysfunction in
the early Church. They tend to think of congregational arguments and
fighting as a more recent trend in Christianity. However, Paul’s letters
to the Corinthians proves we Christians have been mastering the art of
dysfunction for almost 2000 yrs.
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians attempts to deal with
interpersonal conflict among members in the community. He urges them to
see their unity in Christ. In the second letter, their anger has been
turned from the message to the messenger, Paul. In the face of personal
criticism, Paul calls the community to reconciliation. In order to reconcile,
according to Paul, we need to see each other differently. We need to see
Christ in our neighbor to help us see Christ in ourselves. So he writes,
from now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view.
These words came to mind this past week when I read the story
about a Minneapolis police officer tweeting instructions on how to run over
Black Lives Matter protesters with a car. If that were not enough, the
officer also provided instructions on how to get away with it. There are
so many levels of sadness in this story it is hard to know where to
begin. It is sad that it happened on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
It’s reprehensible that the instructions were coming from someone called to
protect and serve. But it’s increasingly disturbing how easily we can
reduce human life to something that can be taken away.
The tweet reminds us, at least in terms of race, while we may
someday overcome, we have not yet. Like the Corinthian community, we have
a dedication to an argument that just won’t go away. Is it possible to do
what Paul invites us to do; regard no one from a human point of view?
And, what would that look like?
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To view someone from a human point of view is to place them
in a category. Categories help us detach from the burden of an emotional
relationship with another human being. The image of a dead child on a
beach unleashes our emotions. We see in that image a life, the
vulnerability of a infant, and the yearning to know who could cause such
pain. But if we can view that image from a human point of view we can
categorize it. Properly categorized, we are now talking about a
poverty-stricken, Syrian, Muslim. Then that child’s poverty is a threat
to our economy, his nationality is a threat to our national security and his
faith is a threat to Christianity. See how easy it is to no longer see
the gift of life? How easy it is to be deaf towards Jesus’ command, “But
I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…for if you
only love those who love you, what reward do you have?”
Our country is divided over how we categorize the Black Lives
Matter movement. If you can, I would like to ask you to put away your
human point of view for a moment to see Tamir Rice. Tamir Rice was the 12
yr. old black boy shot and killed by two white Cleveland Police officers in
2014. From a human point of view, all we need to hear is white police
officers; black male with a gun and automatically the shooting is
justified. But, if we no longer regard anyone from human point of view,
we might get to the truth. Tamir was a child, playing with a toy in a
park designed to provide children the freedom to play. Those who were
supposed to keep that park safe shot him.
Tamir is the person I see when I think about Jesus teaching
his disciples, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of
these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Tamir is not a
category. He is not statistic. He is a member of my family because
Christ compels us all to be the one family of God.
You cannot undo years of racial conflict. You cannot
solve the Syrian refugee problem, defeat ISIS or resolve the conflict between
right-wing militias and the government. You can, however, decide to no
longer see others from a human point of view. You can make a decision to
see Christ living in the heart of the stranger, the poor, the friend, and the
enemy. It’s a decision that will lead to transformation, your own and the
world around you.
