On God’s Side

When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the LORD’s army.”

Tensions run high when it comes to politics. I see the back-and-forth between people I know and love—Democrats, Republicans, and somewhere in between—in which Christians spew views as easily as everyone else. If I’m honest, I’ve had to hide some people’s posts on social media, wanting to remain friends but unable to take in their rage, anger, or sarcasm.

Not long ago, I saw someone post their point of view and then say that if you disagree, you can’t love God because God is on this side of the issue. I thought, That’s a dangerous statement to make—so sure that God is on your side of things and others are out.

It grieves me. Not because I don’t think people should care about politics, policies, or their country, but because I am concerned when these things overshadow our love of Jesus, when they overtake the greatest commandments: love God and love others.

It’s become too easy to see people as our enemies. It reminds me of a story in Scripture where Joshua is fighting for the land God promised his people. When he comes near Jericho, he sees a man and asks if he’s a friend or a foe, to which the man replies: “Neither . . . I am the commander of the Lord’s army.”

Joshua wisely asks what he should do, and the angel replies, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy” (Joshua 5:15).

I wonder how many of us are fighting battles in our belief that God must be on our side when the truth is that he is neither friend nor foe but simply the God of the universe. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our fight is not against flesh and blood—other people—but against mighty powers in this dark world. How easily we forget and hate, or at best dislike, people or treat them as enemies.

As Christians, this shouldn’t be true of us. We are called to love God and others, including those we consider our enemies. No one is exempt. Everyone is invited to God’s side. I’m so grateful to know this truth.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Show kindness toward someone whose views or beliefs are different from yours.