Grace amid disagreement

Class tonight was about showing grace to those with whom we disagree, especially in the political realm. What is it, I wonder, that makes politics such a divisive issue?

Today was the funeral for a member of our church. JPC had been a member of JM for longer than I can remember -- longer, certainly, than I have been a member. I remember him the most when when he served as the chairman of our staff-parish relations committee. I remember him saying at a meeting that he had promised Emerson (our pastor at the time) that he would say on as chairman of SPR until Emerson retired.

Emerson, though retired, delivered a large portion of the funeral service. He spoke of JPC lovingly and with grace. He said that the two of them have very different political views, but that they became friends anyway -- that they became brothers in Christ. That's a wonderful image to take to this class. He said that they disagreed, but that they were never disagreeable to each other -- dispensers of grace

We all have acquaintances -- we have very few real friends. Emerson obviously spoke of JP as one would speak of a friend.