Knee Deep In Trouble

September 26, 2017

What’s happening to us?

Our current President is master of diversionary tactics, finding new ways to make America grate again.

While millions suffer from starvation, deportation, isolation, unjust imprisonment, devastation from hurricanes and earthquakes, lack of affordable housing, health care and basic human rights, we’re busy siding with or against NFL players/coaches/owners taking a knee/locking arms in solidarity or remaining in locker rooms during the national anthem. Meanwhile, our President tweets and uses language unfit for civil discourse.

Sunday’s Washington Post contained a piece by Michael Frost: “Colin Kaepernick vs. Tim Tebow: A Tale of Two Christians on Their Knees.”

It’s thought provoking.

Tim takes a knee to pray.

Colin takes a knee during the national anthem “to protest police violence against African Americans.”

Too easy for some Christians to praise Tim and reject Colin.

Both are our brothers.

Frost writes: “They represent two very different forms that American Christianity has come to and not just in the USA. In many parts of the world it feels as though the Church is separating into two versions, one that values personal piety..with an emphasis on moral issues and another that values social justice …and political activism.”

“One preaches a gospel of personal salvation. The other preaches a gospel of political and social transformation.”

“One is reading the Epistles of Paul, the other is reading the Minor Prophets.”

We need both.

Seems implausible God might use the NFL to bring us to our knees to examine what it really means to be The Church, an American citizen committed to honoring what’s honorable, to love and care for one another at home, in the world, and rediscover the God who made and loves Tim and Colin and others we might find “unworthy” of the Grace we desperately need, but don’t deserve.