If you want to know the kinds of “chilling affects” pastors deal with today…trying to balance speaking truth and keeping their jobs…Google the name “Brent Leatherwood.”

Leatherwood is a Southern Baptist layperson, whose current job is working for the Southern Baptist Convention. No thinking person would doubt his conservative bona fides, having previously been head of the Tennessee Republican Party.

Leatherwood was briefly fired the other day, simply for praising Joe Biden’s departure from the presidential race as a “selfless act.” Among other things, Leatherwood said this about Biden:

“We should all express our appreciation that President Biden has put the needs of the nation above his personal ambition…”

As I mentioned, Leatherwood was briefly fired for this. He has been reinstated. All is well…well, sort of…

I can’t help but marvel at this, given my own words, on exactly the same day, which said much the same thing.

In a post on that day, I told some personal stories about Biden, talked about public service, and ended with this:

“Please, America, stop and pause, stop and look, at what it means to be a true servant of the American people.
Pause in honor of a servant’s heart, and pray a deep prayer for the true service of Joe Biden.”

I didn’t get fired for this.
I haven’t felt a sense of threat for my job.

My point is this: In many places in our nation, many people —and specifically some Christians— are feeling the chilling affect of our hostile and divided political climate right now.

Sure, Leatherwood was reinstated.
But the damage was done, and the message was sent.

The reason such things are dangerous for our society is that they tend to cause pastors and thought-leaders to be OVER cautious in what they say the next time.

I should very quickly say (and I have said this in recent sermons) Progressives can be guilty of this too. It’s my professional calling, as a Jesus follower, to mention this.

When I offered that I was relieved President Trump was not murdered, some folks very sarcastically responded back.
When I prayed for the people of First Baptist Church after their fire last Friday, there were LOTS of snarky jokes online.

These illustrate that this is a human problem, not a problem exclusive to either “team.” And I know, even now, you’re loading the amunition to remind me how one team is far worse than the other…that’s what our human brains do.

But here is the truth: We cannot overcome our dehumanizing political culture without REhumanzing our political “enemies.”

I am a big believer in free speech. I do believe that “hates speech” is a real thing and find is a special case; and I need to be sure and say that here. (I also find that in our culture today some folks engage in hate speech just because they want to be shocking. I find this disturbing too…super nihilistic, imho….)

But this wasn’t “hate speech.”
This was simply somebody from Team Red praising the humanity and public service of somebody from Team Blue.
And, apparently, in this cultural moment, that can get you temporarily fired.

I don’t think it’s a secret that I hang out with Team Blue. But I also believe God calls me to see the basic humanity of everyone on Team Red. Not only does God call me to this, but this is an essential step in knitting back together the frayed and broken strands of our Union.

Look, showing compassion for your political enemies doesn’t mean agreement with them.
Nor does it mean not being angry with them for the harm their policies cause.
Nor does is preclude acting and working for your own political positions.
And finally, no, it’s also not a position of privilege only available to some.

It’s modeling basic human decency, and human compassion.

I’ll say it again: We cannot overcome our dehumanizing political culture with MORE dehumanizing political language.

That is absolutely impossible. Censoring basic decency, spewing out dehumanzing language, will not get us where we need to go; unless “where you want to go” is the destruction of our entire system. And then, it should work wonderfully.
(Vladimir Putin knows this about us…)

These next 100 days will be challenging.

Just know that many pastors and thought leaders –especially those in rural and suburban areas– will be choosing their words carefully, because of the very real fear of reprisal. Some of you reading this will be choosing your words carefully.

I mostly just wanted to note that truth, and know that I know the times are challenging. But I hope you stand up for your values through your vote and your actions.

And to end, I am somehow thinking of the great song by the Highwomen, “Crowded Table.” Maybe because the image of the table is a powerful image in our Christian faith too.

“I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done.”

In a very real sense, this is also the Gospel message of Jesus too.

In this fraught time, may we allow each other the space to create an American table, where there is “a place by the fire, for everyone.”