The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” So many of us are caught up in the chaos and fear that holds the world in thrall. It’s absolutely true that we live in uncertainty. We wonder where our place in society actually is. Weren’t the things that we learned as a child absolute? For those of us who grew up in the White Middle Class these fears seem especially alive. We were taught that if we just worked hard we could have anything that we desired. The world was “our oyster.” We had “the world on a string.” We could “move that rubber tree plant” if we just have “high hopes.” Now, however, we feel as if all of that has been taken away from us. What thieving, conniving, son of a bitch had the kahonas to do that? Why I oughta….! I know that we’ve all felt this. That some injustice has overtaken us. And, it was “THEM” that did it! Damn them! We then rail and rant against those other people who cause us so much anxiety and anger. In the U.S. right now those others range from illegal migrants who threaten to take our jobs. Or, it might be the Main Stream Media that are trying to teach our kids how to be some kind of ‘woke Libtard.’ Of course, the whole of Washington, D.C. is a swamp that desires to suck the life out of us. They want to take our guns and force some kind of “Homosexshul” agenda down our throats. Of course there are many who feel that conservatives are trying to drag us back into the Victorian Era. They want to control our lives by telling us what we can or can’t read or who we are able to love. We mustn’t forget the rich elites on both sides who are bankrolling the destruction of our country. For some it’s all about “God, Guns, and Country.” For others it’s about inclusivity and equality. Our anger is directed at all who seem to be stepping on our rights. OUR Rights! We turn the saying of Jesus around and say, “Anyone who is not for us is against us.” Rather than, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” We’ve divided ourselves into warring factions where there’s no room for common ground. And, it’s exhausting. There is another way. Paul alluded to it in the text from his letter to the Church at Ephesus I quoted above. Our true enemy is not that person who just cut us off on the freeway. It’s certainly not the Trans person who we saw at the grocery. In fact, no one is our true enemy. That position is reserved for what Paul described as “rulers,” Authorities,” and “Cosmic Powers.” In today’s vernacular those are referred to as Systems of Oppression. That includes Systems that instigate racism that are baked into our culture as well as our founding document. They include Systems that objectify people based on gender or gender identity. Capitalism is a System that only exists on the backs of others. And, politics is a System that guarantees that the status quo is maintained for all of the other Systems. Let me give you a real-life example. Donald Trump. For some he is the return of Christ, a savior in flawed clothing. Others see him as the incarnation of the Anti-Christ. It’s not possible for both to be true. But, it possible that neither is true. The Systems that control society and culture allow for the rise of people like Trump. But, he is as much of a victim of those Systems as any other person. Let me state it again, Donald Trump is as much of a victim of those Systems as any other person. Please, don’t throw stuff! Let me explain. If anyone thinks that a person who is down and out, say, an unhoused person is a victim, why couldn’t the person at the top of the food chain also be a victim of some other influence or power? I think that they can. Now, don’t get me wrong. I do not like Trump. Not even a little. I find him wholly out of touch with reality. His narcissism knows no bounds. He lies pathologically. He’s an abuser and a bully. There seems to be nothing in him that’s redeemable. But, redemption is not my call. That’s way above my pay grade. My task is simply to love. My brothers and sisters. My friends. My family. My…enemies? Yes, my enemies. Those who I could just as easily “Other” as they could “Other” me. When I stop to remember who my true enemies are, those powers, principalities, and systems, I find that I am able to lay aside my own presumptions and prejudices. I am free to live without the burdens of judgment and anger. More importantly, I am free to lift these others up to God and ask that God free them from the bonds that hold them as slaves to those Cosmic Forces. So, as I pray each morning I take a moment to remember folks like Donald Trump. I ask God to release him and his family from the chains that bind them. May it be so, Amen.
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