Pigeonholing people who sit in pews
"Don't Vote from the Pews;" Pee-ew, what a stinky suggestion! Why not tell the barista to take the milk out of the latte, or Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman to take the swagger out of his game, or our soldiers to take their patriotism out of their duty, or the Press to take the "My Turn" away from the editor... the analogies can keep on going. What the author of this article is suggesting is taking expressions of faith out of our community or at least keeping them contained behind closed doors. Are we cupboards or dressers with our humanity and Christianity neatly compartmentalized behind doors and drawers?
Behind door No. 1 is my family life and everything family, the good, bad, and ugly, stays shut off from the rest of life. No one need share my child's first step, my daughter's wedding, my son's third tour of duty, my husband's thoughtful surprise, or my grandchild's first expression "Manga" instead of grandma. I close door No. 1 at 7 a.m. and walk through door No. 2: work. I arrive at 7:30 a.m. and at 4 p.m. I exit, closing that part of the day behind me. The successes, failures, accomplishments, and difficulties stay there; however, some of my best solutions to those difficulties came behind a different door - the shower door at home. The next door I open is to my vehicle door to begin the commute home amidst the masses in rush hour traffic. As the homeward-bound flow stalls, I open the glove compartment and pull out my "road rage rants" or the "you're my number-one-fan finger," but quickly stow it away when I spot the state patrol scanning for speeders and scalawags, and just as quickly I open the console and pull out a smile and lift a foam-peace sign in his direction hoping those red and blue lights aren't for me.
Of course the $200 ticket and court date will not influence the evening at home because it sits out of sight in the glove-box ... Absurd!
Mankind is a multifaceted being with a spirit, mind, will, and body. Within each of these parts of man is a multiplicity of connections linking each part to the other; one part affects the other. Stub your toe in the middle of the night and see if you can keep your emotions in a drawer. Make a choice between a healthy crisp apple or a decadent chocolate eclair placed in front of your growling stomach and then try walling your will in a cubbyhole. Disconnect your mind and faith when voting for governing servants who outright flaunt immoral standards and beliefs.
You can no more separate the mind, will, and body than you can separate one's spirit from himself or herself. True people of faith do not keep their faith in a drawer that is only opened for an hour on Sunday. Christianity is man's spirit connected to God by the Holy Spirit. Just as blood flow brings life to the body and electrical synapses send messages from the brain, and comedy causes laughter and tragedy triggers tears, the Spirit of God communes with the spirit of man. God's Spirit influences, encourages, and inspires man to be like Jesus - love God, love others: uphold God's ways, heal the sick, cast out demons, reveal the truth, shine the Light in the darkness of despair, depravity, and deceit, bring hope to the hopeless, feed the poor, take care of the widows and orphans, etc. We discipline our bodies with diets and exercise, strengthen our wills with convictions, challenge our minds with education and problem solving, and we also make constant our faith by being around the people of God, pastors included.
Faith is not only future focused, it's about "His Kingdom come" - NOW - right where we live, work, and love. Kingdom life is full time; it is not just a fixed hour on Sunday. Kingdom life influences kingdom citizens to do kingdom things in whatever door we find ourselves walking through. God cannot be kept in a closet and neither can His people.
Kim Cooper is a Post Falls resident. She is not the Realtor who writes for The Press.