We’re navigating two big ICE storms this week. One being felt in the north and one in the south. The ICE storm currently centered in Minneapolis is really affecting people in every state in the union. The triple threat winter storm known as Fern is affecting people in 30 states, including my home state of Tennessee.
Which ICE storm is filling your social feed? Which one is fueling your prayers? Which ice storm is your pastor responding to? Which one is driving a wedge of division like an ice axe?
“Ice is weighing us down and breaking us apart.” Yes, that applies to both storms.
“Neighbors have to help each other.” Yes, that applies to both storms.
“The critical hours of the storm have arrived. Remain calm, stay warm, and keep the lines of communication open.” Yes, that applies to both storms.
“We’ll get through this together.” Hmmmm, here I hesitate.
While I’m confident that the people of Street Road, Kingston Springs, greater Nashville, and Tennessee will pull together, lend a helping hand, share resources, and do whatever is necessary to weather the icy blast of the winter storm, I think it is yet to be seen if on the larger scale “we’ll all get through this together.” But that’s a good goal with which to start.
But who are “we”? Who is included in the we? What would it look like for all of us to get through “this” intact and flourishing on the other side? Who am I in that process? What’s my role in helping all of “us” get through “this” together?
Who am I? Am I an agent of grace? A minister of reconciliation? A peacemaker? Am I a person after God’s own heart? Do I love my enemies, pray for those in authority and do good to those who curse me? Okay, maybe now I’m thinking about the ICE storm more than the ice storm…
Nearly every one-on-one conversation I’ve had in the past five days has included an extended conversation about the events in Minneapolis. From the fraud investigation to the increased deployment of ICE officers to the protests to the shooting of Renee Good to the disruption of worship at Cities Church to the clergy protest at the airport to the shooting of Alex Petti to the conflicting narratives to the rising anger to the use of force to the doubling down…to the question of “how can that person call themself a Christian” leveled at people on all sides.
I’ve taken two approaches. They both start with listening non-defensively, with love for the other. What I think does not matter. People don’t need another piece of my mind but they desperately need the Peace of the Mind of Christ.
Approach one: Listen for the story behind the emotion
Listen with love and then say, “You feel very deeply about this. You even seem angry. I know that anger is not a primary emotion— there’s always something below or beneath the anger. So, I’m curious what’s behind or beneath your anger? Can you tell me how you’re personally connected to all this? What happened to you that creates the connection to all this?”
The personal stories I’ve heard are about:
- “my sister’s housekeeper’s husband and his brother are in ICE detention…”
- “my best friend has basically become a Christian nationalist and her husband is a police officer”
- “my dad wouldn’t turn off Fox News even when he was on his deathbed. He spent the last hours of his life immersed in hate.”
- “I’m a veteran. I spent three decades in the US military. I’m proud of my service. But I cannot wear my hat and I had to give up my USMC license tag because the harassment at stop lights by ‘those people’ was relentless.”
- “My daughter is so woke I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had gotten the call that she’d been blocking or assaulting ICE agents and they killed her. She won’t even talk to me. She says I’m not a Christian. Well, she’s certainly not a Christian!”
- “I’m an ER doctor and I treat all comers. I genuinely serve every person without regard to all the things culture is debating. I’m also in the Air National Guard. Because of that, I’ve been doxed and my family targeted by anti ICE activists. It makes no sense. I’m a doctor. I care for everyone. What do they hope to accomplish by targeting me because I serve my country?”
- “My dad used to own his own company. He loved it. But he also followed all the rules and the guys who are not following the rules can underbid him every time. Customers just wanted the lowest price – they might say they want immigration laws enforced but they also want their kids watched, houses cleaned, nails done, yards landscaped and strawberries picked. Our system is broken and my dad, who worked hard and did things the right way, lost his dream.”
My friend Matthew knows a Karen (pronounced Ka-rin) family from Burma who immigrated to the United States through the UN refugee resettlement program. They are legal residents of the US. They have been through a lengthy process abroad. They are also Christians. The family Matthew told me about lives in Minneapolis. ICE agents came to their door and they had no reason to fear letting them in. They have papers. They have legal status. They have jobs. Their children are in school. They are members of the local church. They pay taxes. They live at peace with everyone.
But the father was put into zip-tie cuffs and led away. They sent him to a processing center in Texas. Where, eventually, the matter was resolved and they let him go. Right there. With no way home to Minnesota. Does that seem right to you? That does not seem right to me. That’s not who “We the People” are. That’s not who we are and that’s a pathway to getting through this together.
People are angry because they are afraid and hurting. These are just some of the stories I’ve heard this week! It seems that everyone has one. Maybe that’s the thing we have in common. Stories to tell.
Instead of asking for people’s sources, what if we ask them to tell us their story. The story of your personal connection to the immigration conversation.
So, what’s your story?
Approach Two: Establish some common ground in the conversation.
For those of us who recognize Christ as Lord, we recognize and understand that every human being not only stands on equal footing at creation, we stand on equal footing at the foot of the cross. Every single one of us sinners in need of a Savior.
So, regardless of the nationality of your birth, regardless of how you feel about borders or immigration or President Trump, or the implementation of Federal, regardless of how you feel about any of that, can you agree with me that we stand on equal footing at creation with every human being?
If so, can we then agree that we stand on common ground at the cross? Do we share the worldview that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God?
Then, no matter who we are, no matter where we’re from, no matter the color of our skin or the nationality of our birth, or where we live now, the language we speak, can you confess with me that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and we stand on equal footing at the cross?
And now let me ask you, do you believe that those who are redeemed in Christ stand on equal footing in the kingdom?
And if so, as people who pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” can we also agree that we are here to represent the King and the Kingdom in the midst of the kingdoms of this world?
If we can agree on all of that common ground, then together we can pray in the unity of the spirit for the bond of peace.
We are dual citizens of a kingdom of heaven. Not of this world, but we are in the world to bear witness to it. Would you pray with me in that spirit today?
