True Colors

So a week has passed by since I last blogged...and I was doing so good there for a while! It's been an extremely busy week. Zack made it back from Washington, D.C. safely...and just in time! They've had quite a bit of snow in the past couple of days. He was glad to get back to temps in the 80's! But, now he's fighting a bad sore throat and cough--probably from over exhaustion and also the extreme cold, but he'll be alright.

It's been quite interesting to see and hear how passionate some people are about politics. Honestly, I really don't care that much about politics. It's only been in the last year or two that I've really thought [much more than a minute] about my views on certain issues. I can't imagine though, that even if I really cared about politics, that someone's political views would cause me to sever a friendship.

Unfortunately, I've experienced that this past week. I had a childhood friend that I've known since the 5th grade "un-friend" me on Facebook because, as he put it, "I had to take a break, you were going way over the top with all the 'O' entries."

I was stunned.

I looked back at all my status updates and over a week's time, I only used the "O" word (he makes it sound like a 'dirty word') ONE time and that was when I made reference to Zack attending the staff ball and the Bidens and Obamas showing up. I was excited for Zack and the opportunity he had to witness history personally and made comments on my status regarding his travel, what he was doing that day, etc. NO political 'stands' or comments whatsoever! BUT even if I did share my political views on my facebook status every moment of the day, is that seriously something to sever a friendship over? Wow. I just know that my relationships mean so much more to me than that.

I really don't know why I'm that upset over it. I mean, we were elementary, jr. high and high school friends...best friends. We even went to prom together (as friends) cause neither of us was dating anyone. But, we haven't really kept in touch that much since high school. I guess it's more the shock of it over such a ridiculous thing that stunned me so much.

And disappointment too--Christians that choose to act like this. The past few months I've really been struggling with Christians that claim to love, but the reality is that it's conditional love---Christians that make racist comments throughout the week and then proudly hold their heads high on Sundays---Christians who don't think the "brother's keeper" applies to them. Christians that will pick and choose which parts of the Bible they want to quote and which parts they choose to disregard.

I love to read and re-read the Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew...and Romans 13 really is applicable no matter what your political views are. I just think that as Christians, we should show kindness and love to everyone we encounter---not just those who agree with us.