By Scott Spreier
Would you recognize Jesus if you met him face to face?
Or would you wonder if he’s just another one you could not place?
You may not find him coming in a chariot of the Lord,
Jesus could be riding in a ’49 Ford.
While walking the dogs Wednesday, trying to let go of my post-election anger and angst, God spoke to me. OK, it was actually Johnny Cash singing “Would You Recognize Jesus” on Pandora’s Old Time Religion Radio, which lately has become my go-to anxiety medication. But it felt like God.
Because as I walked and Johnny sang, I began thinking about Jesus, who, despite his message of love, could get really pissed off, like when he went after the temple money changers.
The more I walked and thought, the more I realized that Jesus’ anger and mine were every bit as natural as the love Jesus preached and demonstrated. Jesus tried to meet folks where they were. But when needed, he could and did stand his ground. Both, it seems, are needed if we are to create the love and peace he spoke of.
Sadly, in today’s digital Babel, such harmony is hard to come by. Given the unceasing noise competing for our attention, we make little time for truly listening to and engaging with others — both necessary for creating trust and harmony.
Instead, we exchange sound bites, often denigrating those with whom we disagree and urging on those with whom we are aligned. Sadly, such impersonal, context-free “communication” does little to foster peaceful dialogue and instead often triggers emotional chain reactions as violent as small nuclear warheads.
As an election judge Tuesday, I witnessed democracy at its finest as a parade of earnest citizens cast their votes. Some were young first-time voters. Others were old and barely able to walk from voting machine to ballot box. Some wore cowboy hats, others hijabs. A number of immigrants — several of them first-time voters — eagerly waited in line.
Despite political differences, there was a feeling of harmony, of togetherness. All were stepping up to vote for whom they thought was best for their country. For at least a few minutes they were all part of the same peaceful community.
With the discord of the campaign behind us, it’s time we stepped back and leaned in, engaging those we disagree with. It will require heavy lifting, but perhaps we can recapture a bit of that love and communion Jesus spoke of. Focus your lingering anger on creating peaceful change.
As we worship today, let’s put down our phones (you know who you are) and reflect on what we personally can do to build bridges of trust in this troubled time. Who knows, maybe you’ll recognize Jesus — if not in a ’49 Ford, perhaps in a Tesla.