Left or Right

By the time I turned six years old and began the first grade, it was obvious that I had inherited from my mother the constant habit of writing or drawing with my left hand. I was one of only two students in my first grade class who wrote with the left hand rather than the huge majority who were more comfortable writing with the right hand. I am thankful that no one ever nicknamed me Lefty. However, I have been in classes when the teacher would ask "how many lefties do we have in here?" When one or two hands were raised, the teacher would mention that the classroom was equipped with a couple of desks designed for left-handed writers.

As time went by, I began to wonder why a person who writes with the left hand is always referred to as a "lefty." I basically do two things with my left hand exclusively. I write with my left hand (but I use all ten fingers than are equally divided on my two hands when using the keyboard for my computer) and I eat with a fork or spoon in my left hand. However, my right hand is not useless. I am right handed in all sports, but I am a consistent switch hitter in baseball - I can strike out from either side of the plate. I have tried bowling and golf left handed but both proved way too dangerous for anyone nearby.

Apart from which hand we use for writing, have you noticed how quickly people choose to label others based on their thoughts, values, or views about culture, politics, and even religion? When I was much younger, terms like moderate and conservative were popular. Later, it seems to me that the terms liberal and fundamental replaced moderate and conservative. Still later, directions replaced all of these previous terms with left or right. Today, the far left or extreme left and far right or extreme right are the terms in vogue.

Others try to label those around them with these terms to determine if they are in agreement or if they can even be friends. When someone asks me if I am on the left or the right based on my thoughts, values and views about culture, politics, and religion, I answer "Yes." Why would I answer that way? Because depending on the issue, I am liberal, moderate, conservative, fundamental, far left or far right. How can that be? Because my role model, the one whom I seek to follow and be like, is that way.

Let me explain. I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. When I look at His teachings and actions, all of those terms I have listed can apply to Him depending on the subject.

For instance, Jesus was extremely liberal on forgiveness and on love. One of Jesus' disciples asked Jesus how often should he forgive someone. Jesus' answer was very liberal.

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, how often shall my

brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but

up to seventy times seven."

Matthew 18:21-22

Consider a second major area of life - love. Where would you place Jesus on the continuum of extreme left to extreme right - was He liberal, moderate, or conservative?

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor

and hate your enemy,' but I say to you, 'Love your enemies and pray

for those who persecute you.'"

Matthew 5:43-44

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,

just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."

John 13:34

So from these two verses along with many more in the Bible, we see that Jesus wants us to love not only those that are friends or those close to us, but also He wants us to love even our enemies. That is a very liberal view of who we are to love. So is Jesus never on the far right or fundamental? Without a doubt He is found there and on the most important issue for everyone of us.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that

whoever believes in Him should not perish but have

eternal life."

John 3:16

Jesus said to him (Thomas), "I am the way, and the truth, and

the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

How many ways are there for a person to be made right with God, have his sins forgiven, and be promised eternal life with God in heaven. ONLY ONE! And that one way is through faith in Jesus Christ. That is as conservative as possible - no other options - only one - and that one is through faith in Christ alone.

Before we start labeling people, maybe we need to understand that none of us fit into only one category. Maybe you are questioning where I stand on various topics. Here are two beliefs I hold. One makes me a liberal while the other makes me an extreme conservative.

I believe that every person is part of God's creation. That belief is not altered by age, skin color, language, nationality, economic status, or political persuasion. By the words of Jesus we are to love all - from neighbor to enemy - because God's gift of Jesus and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was for all.

I believe that at conception, a new life has been created. Therefore, abortion is not an option regardless of timeframe in a pregnancy. When one of the Ten Commandments states that we are not to kill, that needs to be applied to a yet to be born baby growing and cared for by the mother in her womb.

Now, how do you answer - left or right? I still answer Yes.