I Want No Part of That

So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. 2 Samuel 3:37

I’ve met several patients who, upon learning that my faith is important to me, have assumed that I’m their enemy. Because of their lifestyle or sexual orientation, and because of their previous experiences with other Christians, they believe that I’m going to be judgmental, condescending, and hateful. In response to this, I’ve been purposefully kind, loving, and nonjudgmental. In doing so, I’ve been able to develop wonderful therapeutic relationships with those who’ve previously assumed I was their enemy. At our initial interaction, I detected resentment towards Christianity, based on previous experiences with those who’ve been unkind to them, and I’ve purposefully distanced myself from a hate-filled faith. That’s not me. I want no part of that. I do love Jesus, and I do believe in right and wrong. I won’t apologize for that. But I also believe that Jesus loves you and that he’s asked me to do likewise.

Sometimes, we must distance ourselves from a thing if we don’t want to be associated with it. That’s the lesson of today’s passage, which tells of the murder of Abner. Abner was a commander of the armies of the house of Saul, but he switched sides, supporting David’s claim to the throne of Israel. Joab, the commander of David’s armies didn’t accept Abner’s change of heart and killed him. Abner apparently had a good reputation with the people and knowing that he’d be blamed for Abner’s death, David separated himself from the assassination. David mourned, wept, and fasted, proclaiming to the people that he had no part in this abominable act.

In the absence of direct knowledge, others will make assumptions about us, filling in the gaps in their knowledge. I’m not responsible for all assumptions made about me, but if, for instance, I belong to a political party, then I shouldn’t be surprised when others assume that I support that party’s leaders. If it’s import to me that people believe otherwise, then I must be clear about that.

My faith though, is far more important to me than politics. It’s my life purpose to follow God and to point others to him. So, I must filter the daily message of my blog through that purpose. Does this point people to Christ, or does it repel them? Sometimes I’ve done this poorly. During Covid, I probably shared some strong feelings that may have repelled some from me and my faith. It’s not that I shouldn’t stand for what I believe. It’s just that it’s not my life purpose to convince others to adopt my views on Covid. It’s my life purpose to point others to God. So, daily, I must be clear about my messaging and when I see others making incorrect assumptions about me and my faith, I must fix that. God loves you and so do I. That is a message with which I want to be associated.