When President Bush authorized the tax refunds back in 2008, Rachel and I bought our first flat screen TV. It last for about eight years. It cost in the neighborhood of $800 and it lasted eight years. When I went to replace it, I discovered two things: flat screen TVs are much cheaper and their live spans are very short. It was recommended, which we followed, to buy a quality surge protector to extend the life of our TV but it was still an eye-opener. I was familiar with disposable cameras, disposable contact lenses, but disposable high-tech TVs?
In all of our advancement, what we have not created are disposable people. In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek says that the massive layoffs that have become a part of our economy was “legitimized” when President Reagan laid off the 11,000 air traffic controllers back in 1981. I remember that layoff; I was ten years old. Corporate layoffs and Reagan’s behavior are not exactly parallel since the air traffic controllers actually violated the law. But, Sinek’s point is that businesses have begun to put profits over people. Agree or disagree with his thesis, I like what he says further:
“The very concept of putting a number or a resource before a person flies directly in the face of the protection our anthropology says leaders are supposed to offer. It’s like parents putting the care of their car before the care of their child. It can rip apart the very fabric of the family. Such a redefining of the modern leader wreaks the same havoc on relationships in our companies (or even our society) as it does in our families” (115).
When it comes to Christianity, Christ must come first, of course (Luke 14:28-33). He cannot take “back seat” in our priorities and by the same token, His Word cannot take “back seat” either. Our deepest commitment and highest priority as a church as as individual Christians must be faithfulness to His Word. That’s the only way we’ll make it to heaven. We cannot set aside the clear teachings of His Word in order to maintain a relationship here on earth (see Matt. 10:34-36).
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Having emphasized that, we also wish to emphasize that we don’t want to put anything else – not habits, not traditions, not opinions – before our relationships with fellow humans and certainly not before our relationships with fellow Christians. We ought to study Romans 14 & 15 and 1 Corinthians 8 in that regard. If fellowship has to be ruptured, it must be over sin and as a very last resort. When fellowship was withdrawn under the leadership of the apostles, it was because the brother or sister was creating havoc within the fellowship over their immoral behavior or false teaching (see 1 Cor 5; 2 Thess 3). It was, by their behavior, their choice to rupture fellowship.
As much as it lies within us, we do the church a tremendous service and our inter-human relationships a lot of good if we do all we can to maintain fellowship with one another. Humans are not expendable.
Paul Holland
