Wednesday will be like 9-11, I’ll always remember where I was and what I was doing. What to say? In the wake of what happened – “wake” is another word for the visitation after a death – isn’t it interesting that in all the analyses coming out, from well-known pundits, politicians, and average people, flapping jaws know the truth. “Yes, but you’re forgetting…”
In 2016 social commentator Yuval Levin wrote: “Individualism tends to weaken mediating power centers that stand between the individual and the nation as a whole—from families to local communities (including local governments), (and) religious institutions…. In their place, it strengthens individuals, on the one hand, and a central government, on the other, since such a government is most able to treat individuals equally by treating them all impersonally. For this reason, a hyper-individualist culture is likely to be governed by a hyper-centralized government, and each is likely to exacerbate the worst inclinations of the other.” (Yuval Levin, The Fractured Republic, 99-100).
Both were on display Wednesday: Individuals convinced they had the truth, besieging big, central, impersonal government because they believed they weren’t being heard.
One rioter displayed the “Holy Bible” and another a poster, “Jesus Saves.” If you and I were to sit down with those two, or any protesters, we could show they don’t understand Scripture or Jesus correctly, but who’s sitting down with them simply to listen? People want to be heard. I’ve dealt with difficult personalities in my ministry, as you have in your life. Hearing them out may not change their views but it always lowers the temperature and makes persuasion possible.
Followers of Jesus subordinate our own individualism for the sake of others. “In humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). This is required conduct for us because it’s our Lord’s model, who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:3, 7). Many worshippers Sunday will hear about the Baptism of Jesus. The sinless Son of God didn’t need Baptism for forgiveness; He was baptized as a demonstration that He was humbling Himself for our good. I’m frustrated that I can’t change America’s hyper-individualism or big, impersonal government, but I can let people talk and I can empathize. That’s got to be a part, maybe a new part, of sermons and Bible classes, that church leaders who have listened to people give voice to what we common folk are feeling.