The One Extreme America Needs from the White House to our House

I am certainly no political science expert. I don’t hold an advanced degree in law. I haven’t served political office. But one qualification that I do have is that I have 36 years of experience dealing with people all over our country.

What I have found is that people do not like extremes, especially when it comes to views and beliefs. We fear them, actually. This is why the upcoming presidential election has our citizens so worried. We have multiple candidates who have extreme views on issues that we care very much about: immigration, abortion, the definition of marriage, terrorism, gun rights, healthcare, education, etc.

However, there is one extreme that is not nearly prevalent enough in our society.  It is very rare in our neighborhood, families, communities, internet comment sections, congressional houses, and the supreme court. It is also seemingly nonexistent in the hearts of our presidential candidates from every political party. In my opinion, it is the MOST IMPORTANT trait for the leader of any entity to possess, especially the President of the United States.

It is compassion.

Our country and our people have a history of lacking compassion. From our roots as an English colony, Spanish territory, Dutch settlement, etc., we have consistently charged ahead towards our physical and philosophical Manifest Destiny while turning a blind eye to the pain we have caused others in our wake. In modern times this has been less physical and cultural damage and more relational and communal damage. We may no longer enslave our brothers and sisters, steal their land or demand cultural assimilation, but instead we presume the worst about those on the other side of the philosophical or political aisle and we demean, disparage and disconnect from those around us. It is tearing apart of families and our society.

From our leaders and our neighbors, it is not more rhetoric we need, but more compassion. It is easy to give compassion to those who are like us. It is very difficult to bestow compassion on those with whom we differ theologically, ethnically, culturally, socioeconomically, philosophically and politically. We can’t possibly understand how someone could act, think or believe differently than us and we don’t even try.

But sometimes difficulty indicates necessity. For the future of American society, it is absolutely necessary that we learn how to have compassion on others with whom we disagree.

We need to look at those on the other side of the religious, political, or socioeconomic aisle not as enemies, but as individuals with whom we disagree on this one issue.

Individuals with a story, past hurts, and enviable strengths.

Individuals with a vision, a passion, and a hope for how things could be in a better world.

Individuals who have seen what we have not seen, heard what we have not heard, lived what we have not lived.

(And thank the Lord for that. Thank him that we have not ALL been blinded to the same wrongdoings, societal ills, or communal needs. Thank him that we do not individually have to carry every single worldly burden on our shoulders. Thank him that we do not individually have to be experts on every single issue confronting us. Thank him that we do not have to individually endure every hardship of humanity in order to minister to others.)

So what does this mean for us in a harsh political climate?

For the environmentalist it may be to give grace to the non-recyclers for trying to heal their personal or family struggles before trying to heal the planet.

For the pro-lifer, it might mean understanding that many women who choose abortion do not do so lightly, but rather out of desperation, fear, or uncertainty.

For the proponents of traditional marriage, it might mean recognizing that what is a religious or political issue at the societal level for you is an extremely sensitive, personal issue to someone else.

For the advocate of the Black Lives Matter movement, it might mean understanding that very few white people will ever be able to truly comprehend how generations of institutional racism and prejudice can affect the modern day lives of others. Most do not know what it is like to be followed around in a store, or questioned for simply lingering too long in one public place.

For the supporter of the welfare system, it might mean realizing that most opponents of government handouts actually give a significant amount of money to charitable organizations because they do believe in the idea of people helping people.

Of course, for each of these there is one or more counterpoints. For instance, for the opponent of the welfare system, it might mean learning that sometimes people are trapped in circumstances beyond their control and beyond the reach of other charitable organizations.

If there is an issue on which we cannot demonstrate any compassion, then we must seek to further our understanding. We must be willing to hear stories with an open heart.  My own eyes were opened the day I stepped back into the college classroom. I heard the story of a Syrian refuge trying to survive. I learned about how drastically different one Muslim student was treated before and after 9/11. My heart was broken as I learned about one student’s parents being deported. It is impossible to hear such stories and maintain a lack of compassion on key issues.

It is important for us to remember that our convictions are not compromised by showing compassion to those with whom we disagree. Jesus himself taught us this. He was constantly showing compassion to men and women who were leading a life with which he disagreed. When the woman was caught in adultery, he stood by her side. He didn’t condone her sin. But his intervention in the situation saved her from all those who wished her to be punished for it. In his last words, AFTER he had stood by her and AFTER he had showed her love, grace, and compassion, THEN he implored her to reconsider this lifestyle which almost took her life. “Go and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11).

If we want people to hear our side, our beliefs, our opinions, we must first show respect, grace, and compassion to them. We must stop turning a cold shoulder to others when we disagree with them.

Fellow Christians, it is our belief that we were all created by God out of love. He loves each and every person whether they love him, believe in him, or follow his commandments and teachings. So must we. So whether we are vying for political office or voting for it, whether we have a large circle of influence or a small one, if we must be called extreme in any area, let it be our compassion.

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. -Psalm 145:9