Have you ever witnessed or been the owner of dogs that will adamantly and aggressively bark at another dog if it’s behind a fence or door, but when the barrier is removed the dog becomes less hostile and possibly friendly towards other dog?
I feel like humans are the same but with a different type of fence. Our fence is our “differences,” whether it be politically, culturally or religiously. We tend to hold fast to our side of the fence and become hostile towards anyone that doesn’t “see our side of things.” But what if we are only hostile because we are only able to see the person through the cracks of the fence and not them as they are?
It’s funny how when you’re on a plane, train or bus and the vehicle is spinning out of control; you’re all in “the same boat.” The fences fall immediately and the people simply become that: people.
Jesus lived in proximity to people for this reason, I believe, because He was showing that it’s hard to hate someone up close. It’s hard to see the poor as lazy whenever you meet them and see all that has brought them to that place. It’s hard to believe someone to be unforgivable when you see that they are more than that mistake you heard about through the neighborhood grapevine. It’s hard to dislike a progressive or conservative when you go into their home and see their family photos framed and see that their heart is simply set on protecting what they cherish most. It’s hard to be okay with the injustice happening to our marginalized neighbors when we allow ourselves to not be numb to their pain and our privilege.
Even those pesky tax collectors, the ones that probably met more barks through fences than most, Jesus chose to be near to. Why? Because it’s hard to hate up close. When you see someone’s eyes up close, noticing the sparkle when they speak about their wife and child; it’s a little hard to start banging on about how you hate their place of employment, right?
In Robert Frost’s “Mendingwall,” it is said that “good fences make good neighbors.” And while I see the meaning, I’d like to argue that too “thick” of fences make bad neighbors. Our problem is that we build fences like Fort Knox, to where you cannot see through to the other “side.” What if our fences looked a little more like boundary lines on a farm. You know what lines aren’t to be crossed, but you can easily see the other side in full-view. I’d bet when the neighbor starts approaching your boundary line with a smile, it’ll be really hard to start barking.
Division is nothing new, political mud-slinging is nothing new, religious wars is nothing new; but, the Christian’s calling to behave differently began just a few thousand years ago when Jesus laid out the foundation for His followers.
Jesus showed that God is a God of destroying barriers, toppling walls and being in proximity.
One fence at a time, we can be agents of change. And this isn’t coming from Bre, this is a command from GOD.
“The man replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, ‘Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’ ””
Luke 10:27 CEV
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TheAbundantLife 