The Party Line

man reflecting (image from here)

"They are traitors to the party." I saw this comment on Facebook recently, from a friend referring to two prominent Republicans who have spoken out against Trump's conduct in several areas. His comment (combined with others he has made over the years) unsettled me- it is clear he puts party first, above all else. Above truth, justice, all of it. Right and wrong in a given situation don't matter- defend the party at all costs. It is something I would expect in Soviet Russia (or modern Russia), China, and other such regimes . . . not here. Yet he's not alone- I see it increasingly in America; this concept of 'party above all.' Both major parties will defend their own- even when the conduct is clearly wrong and indefensible. How terrifying.

What we put first shows what we value. Generally, we will defend our top priority to the death. Protect it all costs. Effectively, it is our god. Which is probably why the very first commandment of the famous ten in the Bible is "you shall have no other gods before me." Here the Lord is making it clear: He should be our number one. Everything- and everyone- else comes after Him. No exceptions. And we know that He is perfect love, truth, justice, and many other things- He is a safe foundation and the only standard by and through which we judge all things. 

If God is first, that means everything other than God is open to evaluation, criticism, and correction. Me. You. The Church. The State. God commands us to be holy. When something or someone is found to be outside of the bounds of God's standard, regardless of their party or any other defining characteristic (age, relationship, gender, race, religion, company, occupation, and so on), love dictates that we correct them. God corrects those He loves. We should, too.

In this vein, I've been drawn recently to two media personalities in particular, and they couldn't be more different: Bill Maher and David Press. 

Bill Maher is a liberal (or are we saying 'progressive' now?) media personality/commentator. He and I would disagree over many things- for example, I am diametrically opposed to his stance on religion. Yet, I've come to admire him in recent months for one reason: he does not hesitate to speak out against his party. You can see his videos on YouTube- either segments of his show "Real Time" (here's one playlist, and one video that particularly amused me) or other recordings.

David French is a Christian conservative (he left the Republican party in 2018 but his views remain) lawyer, veteran, and journalist. He and I would agree on many things (though perhaps not all). I've come to admire him for the same reason: he criticizes his own first and foremost. You can read his posts over at The Dispatch.

In both cases, I may not agree with everything they say- in fact, I'm sure I do not- but I do agree with, and admire, their willingness to correct their own. And of course, let's not forget Jesus, who criticized those in religious circles far more than those outside. And why? I assure you, it wasn't because He hated them. It was because He loved them.

May we always have our priorities in order, and be open to receiving (and giving) criticism based on what matters most. It's not about being on the winning side, in life or politics. It's about being faithful and holy. 

He has told you, O man, what is good;

    and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

    and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:8