People keep trying to co-opt Jesus, and claim that he’s on their side. What if we let Jesus co-opt us, and tried to be on his side? What would happen if we abided by his values rather than using him as a megaphone for our values?

Unity doesn’t deny ethnic, socioeconomic, political, or gender differences. Paul’s wise reflection is still relevant: “There is not White or everyone else, there is not those enslaved or the free, there is not male or female, for EVERYONE of you all are IN CHRIST” (Gal 3:28, my “translation”).

Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. Protests matter. Protection from looting matters. Republicans matter. Democrats matter. People matter.

Either-or only means we have winners and losers. Either-or means we can’t really address the systems of injustice and heal the hurt that people are experiencing. Either-or leads to endless cycles of “oppression” or revolution where the “oppressed becoming the oppressor.”

“You heard that it was said, ‘You all shall love your neighbor,’ and “You all shall hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies.'” – Jesus

Photo: By Stevert – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5817434