The Dogmatic, the Conservative, and the Liberal

Bruno - the only dog I like

I don’t like the dogmatic or dogs.  The former is where my focus will be today.  I’ll save the latter for another day.

Perhaps its my personality or perhaps it is how I was raised, but something in me bears a disdain for the dogmatic that wreaks havoc on some of the relationships in my life.  You see, it’s not just that I don’t like “dogma” – the religious kind or otherwise – but I don’t really like dogmatic people.  I’m really trying to work on this, because of the whole “Jesus wants me to love my enemies” thing, but it’s still hard.

Consider this.  As a Christ follower, I have read up on and been influenced by a biblical world view. I guess you’d say that I am dogmatic about it in my own life as I believe the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes about some things scripturally, and now I am a new person.  This is wholeheartedly what I believe about me, and I pray that it would not stop with me but that I would have the opportunity to influence others.

But one thing I always want to remember is how that influence happens.  I never want that influence to stem from my talent or my ability to manipulate a situation, but simply put (and perhaps not so simply explained) through the work of the Holy Spirit in someone’s life.

So how does this attitude affect my relationships?  In the world of the Christ follower, there are many different ways to influence. And the dogmatic extremists point to their way of “getting things done” as the way God uses people.  While I couldn’t even imagine believing that the way Fellowship Church does things is THE way to “do church”, the dogmatics imply (and certainly many times say) that their way is the way to do it, and I’ve finally figured out how:  Labels.

If I can place a label on someone, and that label is perceived as negative by those around me, then I have done my job of manipulating a situation to further what I think about life, and maybe even to gain more positive attention to myself.  If I call someone a radical conservative or a stinking liberal (or yes, even a dogmatic extremist), then all the people who identify with the one I identify with will scream “amen”, “hallelujah” and maybe even form a picket line against my enemies.

That’s the easy way out.  The hard way is to connect with those I disagree with and choose to love them.  The dogmatic, the conservative, and the liberal.  Then attempt to love on them like I love my party line cronies, or better yet, like I love myself.  This is the way of Jesus.  But it doesn’t have to stop there, then we can influence one another and begin to realize the places God is taking us because of our relationship.

I really want to work on this.  It’s easier for me to ignore my enemies and to let them do their thing, while I do mine, and to be honest, I think there is a time and a place for that.  But so much more can be accomplished when I put desires away and start acting like Christ.

But as it is right now, I’ll probably start loving dogs first.

Related posts:

1. Having a lot to learn
2. I hate her, but I sure do love God
3. Peace like a River