The Power of Paradox: Following the Example of Jesus When Navigating Political Division
Polarity, division, uncertainty—these are contemporary concerns, but they also have biblical context. There are examples of Jesus navigating conflict and controversy throughout the Bible.
The question becomes, how can we follow the example of Jesus and practically apply His teachings to today’s politically charged world?
At Clarity House, we help church teams find renewed missional energy and passion for ministry through a clear and contextual disciple-making pathway. But what if your current disciples are in opposite corners? How can you consider future disciple-making when existing disciples are polarized?
Neutralizing Polarization
Jesus often responded to complex and polarizing situations with paradox. He encouraged deeper reflection rather than simple answers.
In Mark alone there are two foundational examples of paradoxes: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35) “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
Jesus’s paradoxes prompted reflection and deeper thinking among His followers. To lead through polarization in today’s world, the prompt to go deeper can be highly effective. For example, in a guided conversation, you can ask, ”there’s a Republican point of view and a Democrat point of view, but what is the scriptural point of view on this issue?” This approach creates opportunities to explore nuance, and moves people away from a “right and wrong” manner of thinking.
Higher Ground Instead of Middle Ground
When people are polarized, it’s hard for people to fathom finding a middle ground. Instead of middle ground, Jesus led people to higher ground.
His higher ground centered around the concepts of “both / and” and “neither / nor.” Both / and reminds us that two opposing viewpoints can both be found in Scripture, and there is room in Christian faith for the “and.” Neither / nor prevents us from centering in political tribalism and ego, and reminds us of the basic tenet from the book of Matthew: “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Jesus makes room for both affirmation (both/and) and critique (neither/nor).
Seeking middle ground agreement can be an exercise in frustration, but an invitation to Jesus’s higher ground makes room for all.
Neutralizing Difficult Questions
In Mark 12, when asked “Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Jesus says, “… give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar—and to God what belongs to God.” His words remind us that we can’t completely move away from issues of the world, but we can bear God in His image.
This lesson also serves as a contemporary approach to handling emotionally charged situations. Jesus recognized a “trap” and responded by moving to higher ground. It’s human nature to want to push back when we feel we are pushed. When the rhetoric is loud and intense, as it is now, church leaders can feel right in the crosshairs of it. This is where you can remind yourself and others that we are formed in the image of God. It’s not about what voting position people are taking, or whether or not people are happy with a certain position. The question to keep repeating is, “are we taking on more of the mind of Christ?
The Example of Jesus in Practice
In practice, you can lead your church community to pivot back to core values, and from that place of security, follow Jesus’s example:
Remain open to other perspectives. Jesus modeled a nuanced approach by engaging with diverse perspectives, demonstrating the importance of understanding different viewpoints within a scriptural context.
Encourage people to engage in conversation rather than reciting rhetoric. This requires us to truly listen and not begin with assumptions and pat answers. Through His interactions, Jesus emphasized the value of authenticity and conversation, encouraging people to explore difficult issues together rather than resorting to divisive rhetoric.
Form opinions through the lens of Christ rather than taking positions. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness.” (John 8:12) Amid disagreement, He invited others to follow Him, turning the focus from individual differences to a shared Christian path.
It’s common for people to think politics is a fight. Well, that’s one option. We’ve found a helpful matrix from Tim Keller that provides four different potential postures—fight, fortress, friend, and force for good.
All four of these postures have a biblical basis and should be considered in nuancing different conversations. There are some issues that are worth fighting for, sometimes an alternative Christian solution is necessary (that’s the fortress approach), we can always find room to be a friend to those around us, and being a force for good means elevating the conversation to higher ground through paradox (as mentioned above).
In every issue, and in each of those postures, we should always look ultimately to Christ and ways to follow His example.
“Take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:10
At Clarity House, we specialize in guiding church teams in articulating a shared vision coupled with disciple-making clarity. We’d love to help you and your team. If you want us to assess your current mission statement, feel free to set up a free conversation with our team.