Loving "the Other Side"

This morning I was reminded of a dream I had a bit over 2 years ago - and I thought it was worth re-sharing.  

June 12, 2018:

Last night I had one of the most interesting dreams I have ever had.  In the dream there was wide unrest and strong protests going on in the city, and both sides were engaged in rolling street confrontations.  For some reason I found myself in the headquarters of what would be "the other side" to me.  They didn't know me and I was just hanging out with them for several hours. We were joking back and forth, and I wasn't saying anything about the cause, just listening and engaging in the joking and normal life that people engage in.  I was invited into photos, was sitting on the couch with them drinking coffee, basically just enjoying their company, and they were enjoying mine.  We were becoming friends and I was even being invited into their inner circle, as they shared plans and ideas and messages they were receiving from the people out in the city.

As the day wore on they were trying to figure out who I was and what group I belonged to, sure that I was one of "them".  They were talking about upcoming events and past events and thinking they had seen me at some of the past ones.  Finally they thought they had me figured out and told me their thoughts and I had to laugh because their assumption about who I was and what I believed in was 100% wrong.  When I told them how I would classify myself they suddenly stepped back from me  and were almost repulsed at my revelation.  I had to laugh, because I was still sitting on the couch drinking coffee like I had been 30 seconds before, but suddenly I saw fear and hatred in their eyes, and confusion on their faces.  

I spoke into the moment, and said how interesting it was watching their faces and demeanor change when I applied a few labels to myself.  I was no different then 30 seconds earlier, I was not pretending to be one of them, I was just relating to them as human beings , each unique, each beautiful, each valuable.  They hadn't labeled me, and thus were willing to accept me.  I said it was a great example of the reality of our days - we are so quick to affix labels and hate people because of those labels, never getting to know them for who they are.  I reminded them of the funny things we had shared throughout the day, joked with them about meeting at future protests, and told them all that I would still consider them my friends, even as I had all day long, knowing full well they were from "the other side!"  They were good people, with different ideas than mine, but still good people nonetheless!  I was honored to be their friends and told them so.  The dream ended with us back to semi-normal joking back and forth, as they realized I just loved them for who they were, and wasn't a threat.

I share this dream as an encouragement to us all to look past the labels and look at the people!  We are all brothers and sisters, moms and dads, sons and daughters!  Regardless of our political views, or our beliefs about how to fix our world, we each are beautiful, valuable, unique and deserving of love, respect, kindness and care.  We deserve to be listened too, to speak our thoughts and opinions, but we should never allow that freedom to cause us to hate one another.  We are all needing of love, acceptance, friendship and communication.  We need people who will love us and accept us for who we are, regardless of their stands or beliefs.  

My prayer and hope is that this might at least be my reality, and hopefully yours as well.  The division and hatred needs to stop and it will begin with us learning to love those on the "other side", to see them as people of worth, value and uniqueness.  It will cease when we refuse to label one another and instead treat each other with kindness, care and respect.

That was such an interesting dream, and I woke up thinking that was probably what Jesus would have done, and probably did.  He was often surrounded by tax-collectors and sinners  "the other side" if you want to call them that.  He was so unlike them, and yet by spending time with them was communicating to the world their value in His eyes, and in the eyes of the Father!  I felt deeply encouraged to open my eyes and look around and see people as Jesus sees them, each as unique, valuable and worth knowing!  

I am so thankful for the revelation of the Lord, for the way He speaks to our hearts, and brings revelation, even to us old men (See Acts 2:17). 

So today my prayer is that we will each be encouraged to be Jesus to all we meet, especially to those from "the other side" those we wouldn't normally associate with!  Let the light of Christ that is in us, His love, shine forth to all the world!

I pray for our nation, our cities, our brothers and sisters of every color, that we might love one another as Christ loved us and work to push past the labels, the judgments and see each other as people of great value.  I pray for peace, and justice, and an end to all the evil that works to sow distrust, division and death.

Sam