Thoughts on John Lewis

It is unfortunate the truly great stories in life start and sometime live in hardship. To truly be a great man of God, when fighting injustice, means that tragedy, pain and isolation become your traveling partners. Few of us, myself included, have the perseverance. But those who do, leave a lasting legacy.

Today I was reading about the passing of John Lewis. I am not a fan of much of John Lewis’ politics. We differ on issues which do not impact salvation. But one must separate the man for the issues.

John Lewis was from Alabama in the 60’s. Those were my formative years and I remember them well. Living in a small farming community in Illinois, far from the violence of desegregation, I felt its touch. I didn’t grow up around any African Americans, but I felt the sting of their conflict. It wasn’t the riots and protests that left a lasting memory, it was the anger on men’s faces from the picture on the news. It was an extreme, visceral, fanatical anger. It was terrifying. I feared it would rock my world.

What separates the man from his ideology is character. John Lewis graduated from American Baptist Theological Seminar in Nashville. He then received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Fisk University. At age 21 he was one of the original 13 freedom riders that travel from Washington DC to New Orleans to protest segregation in busing. He was beaten, bloodied, arrested and jailed (sounds a lot like Paul) for his efforts. Lewis was one of the few to make the complete journey.

“Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle for good to overcome evil is already won.” – John Lewis

By age 23 he was one the organizers and speakers at the 1963 March on Washington. By 25 he was standing in the oval office for the signing of the Voting Rights Amendment.

As a people, we should always strive to separate the person from the politics. Politics are complicated by environment. We do not all walk in the same shoes. We don’t experience life the same way. Much of that experience crafts our positions. John Lewis was a man who stayed true to his character when fighting for what he believed.

I think of this quote often when trying to separate a man from his issues:

“The will of God prevails – In great contests, each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war, it is quite possible that God’s purpose is somewhat different from the purpose of either party.” – Abraham Lincoln

As Christians we can disagree on worldly issues while still holding to the character of Christ. We can have passion for issues without losing our passion to live as Christ lived. I have a tremendous fondness for those who have what it takes to suffer for what they believe. The greatness in a life well lived is not the overcoming, it is the perseverance until the overcoming happens.

As Christian let us pray that our character overshadows our politics.