Respect the dignity of every human being.

This been an interesting week to live in Wolfeboro, Nh.  As the summer residents wander back into town and the traffic picks up, the town is finding a common voice.  I do not mean by that that we all agree.  That we all should or would ever vote the same.  I do not mean that we, in any community see or experience things the same way.  

As many of you know I am not a person that steps into political matters.  I pray about the world around us.  I care deeply about those I love and serve.  I am passionate about the message of God's love and mission to "always have mercy."  

As a leader in the Episcopal Church my ministry has always been to raise up the issues in our midst.  To encourage all of us to educate ourselves about the issues at hand.  We are called to pray and then be active in the world in the way we believe that God is calling us to.  I don't presume to know the answer to our big questions.  I have opinions, just like you do.  But my interpretation of what God may be calling me to do, must not get in the way of your faith or your beliefs.  

With all that said, this week I have really gotten a chance to reflect on what would I do?  Not what would Jesus do?  But what would I do?  

To make a long story short, a woman in Wolfeboro heard the the Police Commissioner, Robert Copeland call the President of the United States a racial slur with some pretty dramatic expletives to go along with it.  She asked him about it and it escalated the situation.  She has gone through all the proper channels and given him ample opportunity to apologize.  His behavior has only gotten worse.  

What would I do?  If I heard this man say something? First I didn't know until this week he was an elected official.  Yes, this will be some kind of confession.  I am quite sure I voted for him. I cast my vote without asking any questions and without looking into it at all.  He has run unopposed.  If I was sitting in that restaurant, I would not have known he was someone I voted for.  He is charged with looking over the police department that seems to serve us very well.  If I had heard these comments I would have thought it was sad and that we all have different options of things.  I would have thought, not liking or agreeing with a president is absolutely ok, but using that language says something very different.  Using the N word is not a disagreement of policy.  It is not a belief that a person should not hold an office.  The N word is a reflection of the person that uses it.   

I know that I would not have said anything.  I would not have called anyone.  I would have thought some of my own negative thoughts about that person.  I would have made some of my own judgments, based on his behavior.  But I know that I would not have said anything.  

For years I have said that caustic liberals can cause as much damage and hurt as caustic conservatives. We cannot choose to love and care for only those that agree or thing like we do.   This is not a political issue.  It would be nice sometimes to live in a black and white world, no pun intended.  It would be nice sometimes to live in a world where things were clear cut and obvious.  But we live in a world where we are called to live with our neighbors.  We are called to live in community and find ways to be in relationship with the other.  We are all created in God’s image.  By that I mean a vast expanse of being that is beyond our imagining.  

As Episcopalians we have the Baptismal Covenant as the foundational theology we live from.  Each time we witness a baptism we are invited to respond and be reminded of what our faith means.  Each time we witness a baptism we are reminded that it is only with God’s help that we can be the instruments in the world God needs us to be.  The final question in the covenant is: “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”  Our answer is: “I will, with God’s help.”  

God does not ask us to treat only those we like or agree with, with respect.  God does not ask us to make sure that everyone in our midst sees things the way we do.  God asks us to strive for the justice and peace among all people.  God asks us to respect the dignity of every human being.  Then in God’s infinite wisdom, God knows we will be unable to do this alone.  God knows we will need help.  

Last night I stood in a room filled with people.  I stood against the back wall and watched.  The energy in the room was palpable.  For almost two hours one person after another walked to the podium and stated that this behavior was inappropriate.  There were a few that spoke in defense of this person.  That is important to!  If we are asking for respect for all persons, we must mean all persons.  The ages differed.  The political party differed.  Many faith traditions were represented.  People from different lines of work shared if this was their behavior at work, they would have been let go.  Even in Wolfeboro, there were people from different socio economic groups.  At one point a young man stood up and said he thought this behavior was terrible, but that this was a very good night for Wolfboro.  A good night that so many people care enough to be present, care enough to say, this is not who we are.  This is not who we want to be.  

“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity  of every human being?”  I can’t promise God or myself that I would do something different if I had the chance.  What I can remember is that when we stand together for the dignity of all, we are better.  As I stood in that room last night, my job was not to say something, others felt called to do that.  I stood with the woman who had the courage and the spirit to investigate this person, and discover he was in fact an elected official.  I stood with the woman who had a clear, respectful, and wise voice.  I stood beside the woman who wept as her father talked about her two Haitian children and his families love for them.  I stood with others.  

Some things are not political issues.  Some things are the basis for the way we treat each other and how we live and move in the world.  Years ago, a wonderful mentor of mine told me when I was all upset about something.  Sue, she said, it’s easy to love the lovable one’s.  I have always remembered this.  We all love differently, we all care about life and love differently.  We live out our faith differently and believe God to come in many different forms.  But we can try with God’s help to respect the dignity of every human being.  

Love those in your midst today.  Ask for help when it’s hard.  Remember that as David says, prayer works.  Praying for those we struggle with is a way to let go and bring God into the relationship.  

With God’s help today, we will be there for the other.