In the ongoing drumbeat of this “era of Trump,” as Christians and as “we the people,” we need to remind ourselves–again and again–how “we’re all in this life together.”  Always, there is more that unites us than divides us.  Trump has a lot invested in us not believing this.  Taken right out of the dictator’s playbook, he thrives in an arena of chaos, turmoil, and tension.  Indeed, it is this very chaos and turmoil that serves to protect him because it keeps us from organizing against him.  What’s more, it makes us less secure because of the uncertainty of what he will do next. 

Think about it!  If we are “all in this life together,” if we are interested in learning more about one another, if we are committed to molding a future where all of our respective needs are addressed, increasingly, we’re going to expect the government over which Trump presides to look out for our common welfare.  We’re going to expect it to initiate policies that make our lives better. 

The unifying message of Jesus in the gospels is that the Kingdom of God has come near (Mark 1:15b).  Indeed, as he suggests in Luke 17:21, not only has it come near, it is among you.  This Kingdom is not about heaven or some afterlife.  It is about life on planet Earth, right here, right now.  The Kingdom is God’s dream.  It is God’s promise.  It is the way the world would be if God were in charge and not the domination system of Rome.

The Kingdom of God is comparable to how my seminary professor, Bernard Loomer, describes the web of life.  For Loomer, both the web of life and the Kingdom of God are interchangeable, given conditions.  Certainly, as with all of life, they have evolved, but, again, they are given.  In this web, there is always a mutuality of relations affirming how we are all interrelated, all “in this life together.”

Again, as Christians and as “we the people,” the sooner we build bridges that unite us, the better off we will be.  It is as a united American people that we will need to stand up to Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.  As a fundamentally insecure narcissist, he will continue to surround himself with sycophant “yes” people–people for whom loyalty to him is more important than competence.  Over time, this will create problems for masses of Americans who–when they’re not seeing the desired results–will start to push back against some of the policies the Trump administration has put in place. 

For example, take the economy, which is supposed to be one of Trump’s strengths.  If he moves forward with his plan to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and other U.S. trading partners, the economy (according to most top economists) will suffer.  Likewise, his cruel plan for mass deportations of Hispanics, Haitians, and others will cause widespread labor shortages for jobs most Americans don’t want to do.  Over time, a likely consequence of both of these short-sighted Trump initiatives will be a rise in inflation.  When the prices of food, household goods, automobiles, housing, and everything else begin to rise, people will not be happy.  And they’re not going to blame Joe Biden.

What Christian community calls us to

Christian community, at its best, aims for the spiritual high ground inspired by both the Kingdom of God and the web of life.  On this high ground is the profound awareness that, as Christians–indeed, as human beings–we are all inter-connected, inter-related, and infinitely entangled.  It is in this sense that Paul encourages the Galatians: Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). 

Given the divisiveness of these Trump years, the majority of Americans are hungry for a rebirth of a spirit of togetherness.  More than we realize, we are eager for a spirit of neighborliness to once again enrich our communities.  Growing up in Aurora, Illinois, I have vivid memories of the solidarity of love, affection, and support that marked the neighborhood of my childhood.  In such a neighborhood, everyone looks out for one another, doing what they can to be helpful and caring.

The Apostle Paul emphasizes this when writing to the Romans, he tells them how much he is looking forward to seeing them … so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine (Romans 1:12).  Again, note the mutuality which is so characteristic of the web.  All of this is what Christian community calls us to, and it is all sustained and deepened by this spirit of togetherness.

We see this abundantly lived out in the early gatherings of the followers of Jesus.  Led by James, Jesus’ brother, known as James the Just, they practiced a radical shared life that ran counter to the normalcy of society.  As Luke recounts in Acts:

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell

their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

(Acts 2:4)

And then again:

There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned land or

houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.  They laid it

at the apostles’ feet and it was distributed to each as any had need.  (Acts 4:34-35)

Moving forward–together

Just as in the neighborhood of my childhood, in the early gatherings of the followers of Jesus, we’re reminded how “we’re all in this life together.”  On the other side of our political grumbling, these next years will challenge us to find our way into each other’s lives where, in spite of the probable craziness coming out of our nation’s capitol, we’ll be able to set our sails to the wind and move forward together.

“Together” is what it is going to take to stand up for millions of migrants (many of whom are here legally) whom Trump and his henchmen want to deport.  “Together” is what will be required to send a news flash across our country that Trump’s xenophobic and racist policies will not be tolerated.  “Togetherness” is what we will be called for if Trump decides he wants to use the United States government to prosecute his perceived enemies. 

It is possible these apparent threats are nothing more than noise, bluster, and the feeble attempt of a want-a-be dictator to appear strong.  Still, as Christians and as “we the people,” we have to be prepared for some turbulent times.  As the uncertainty of these days unfold, let our spirit of togetherness rise to meet the challenges of the day.   

The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz is a retired United Church of Christ minister.  He had long-term pastorates in San Diego County and in Miami Lakes, Florida.  His service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama in the late sixties spurred his commitment to social justice ministries and to a spirit of ecumenism as a local church pastor.  He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Pacific School of Religion. He is the author of The Bible You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In, The God You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In, and his just-published book: The Jesus You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In. Dr. Frantz and his wife, Yvette, are now retired and living in Florida.