Being Right to the Detriment of Being Effective

There is a lot of talk about "fake news". There is recognition that we all live online in little bubbles of information. There is awareness that humans tend to build and live in echo chambers. There are people in leadership who say "There’s no such thing, unfortunately, anymore of facts." With these salvos on Truth, it is no wonder there is a backlash and people are reasserting the need for facts and truth. 

Like many others, I am a fan of facts and truth. Christianity is also a fan of Truth and facts. The arguments around what is true and what is false create an environment where someone is willing to treat another like garbage all in an effort to ensure they are "right". There are a few ways to express this. I have stated before we are in a time when Truth trumps Love and I believe that Christianity is a way of being so that Love trumps Truth. 

Dr. Susan David in her interview with Krys Boyd (http://www.kera.org/2016/12/08/staying-calm-in-a-crisis/) puts it this way: we would rather be right than be effective. We would rather see to it that our point is made to the detriment of people willing to listen to us.

Or to have an axiom in the negative : if you are right, don't be a jerk. 

Another way to talk about this is the difference between political correctness (being right) and emotional correctness (being loving). FOXNews commentator Sally Kohn fleshes this idea out in the following TED Talk. 

Just a little reminder that Jesus was often willing to forgo expressing Truth if it came at the expense of Love. Perhaps the woman was caught in adultery, but Jesus does not condemn. Humans know we screw up, but Jesus still was willing to go through the crucifixion in order to bring about the loving reconciliation needed. The reality is I want to be different in this world and the way that I see being different is to act out of Love, even if the Truth takes a backseat for the time being. 

When people come into my office and talk about their lives, I don't need to tell them that they screwed up and are making a mistake. They know that. I don't need to be self righteous and point out the Truth of their actions - I need to extend Love.  

I will pay you double

While so many of us are busy getting ready for Christmas and the end of the year, Rabbi Akiva (who lived around the time the Gospels were written) tells this little story. I remind you of it as a reflection to this Advent season:

I was walking home after the sun had set and while being caught up in my meditation, I took a wrong turn home. I arrived at the gates of a Roman garrison and a voice shouted down to me, "Who are you? What are you doing here?” The night watchman's voice was so loud it jolted me out of my meditating. Additionally, I was so caught off guard by his question that I didn’t respond. He then shouted again, “Who are you? What are you doing here?” I shouted back, “What do they pay you to do this job?” The watchman answered, "A coin a day!” I then told him that I would pay him double if he would come stand at my front door and ask me those same two questions every time I left my home and returned.

Who are you?

What are doing here?

The Layers of Immanuel

The title "Immanuel" comes from the Hebrew: עִמָּנוּאֵל which means, "God with us". You may have also see the romanized version of this spelled Emmanuel. However you have seen it, if you are a Christian attending worship in the month of December, chances are you have heard this before. 

When Christians talk about Jesus as "Immanuel" we may overlook a few of the layers of the implications of "God with us". I invite you consider at least three layers embedded in the Good News of "God with us".

• God with us as in God is among us - such as in the Gospel of John which says that Jesus pitched tent and dwelt with us. God with us as a traveling companion and who walks with and beside us. This pastoral image of God with us, is not only comforting but also empowering because God is among us. 
• God with us as in God is an advocate for us - Jesus reminds us that with the advent of the Holy Spirit the disciples will have an Advocate to remind them of all that Jesus has taught. God with us as advocate clearly calls to mind the image of God as a defense attorney standing up for us against the accuser (which is the role of Satan in the Bible. Satan is the character that stands in for humans when humans take a posture of accusing rather than advocating).
• God with us as opposed to God without us, meaning that God chooses to be with us rather than going it alone or without us. God is not out there doing things without us, but Immanuel implies that God is with us and all our limitations. The very idea that God would choose to work with humans is remarkable and if that is not Good News I am not sure I know what Good News may be.

So when we hear the Gospel story this Advent and Christmas seasons might we reflect just a bit more on the depth of Immanuel - God with us.