Honor the People, Not the Symbol.

Colin Kaepernick has incited all kinds of anger and hatred poured onto him with religious zeal and fervor, zeal and fervor the likes of which God and God’s Kingdom have not experienced in decades, if not centuries.  Mr. Kaepernick incited this zealous anger towards himself by not honoring a symbol of America.  He didn’t honor the symbol because he saw so much wrong with America that he felt to honor the symbol was to honor all that was wrong with the country.  He wouldn’t honor the symbol of America so that he could instead honor the people that are America. 

To honor the symbol is for many to honor all that is great about America.  To honor the symbol was for him to honor all that was wrong with America, and that he could not do.  Perhaps he was overly pessimistic with his view of America (I don’t believe so), but his actions were comparable to much of Jesus’ actions, refusing to honor the symbols of his religion so that he could instead honor God and God’s Kingdom. 

Jesus broke the rules of his religion in order to love, heal, and honor people.  At times, Jesus didn’t honor the symbols and traditions of his faith in order to live out the heart of his faith.

Mr. Kaepernick did the same thing by not standing to honor the flag.  His statement was not “I hate America,” or “I hate the flag, the symbol of America.”  His statement was “I cannot abide the endless violence and racism in America.” 

A statement against violence and racism is a statement which I am sure Jesus would be one-hundred percent behind.  Verbally destroying a man who spoke out against violence and racism because he didn’t honor a symbol is, on the other hand, something I am quite sure Jesus would be against. 

The religious fervor of honoring the flag at the expense of honoring people is analogous to serving wealth rather than serving God, serving things rather than serving people.  Like the Pharisees serving and honoring the symbols of their faith rather than serving God and God’s kingdom, people are serving the flag rather than serving God and God’s kingdom lived out in America.

Jesus would tell us to listen to the message Mr. Kaepernick is giving, rather than be incensed that he is not honoring a symbol.  The message is that violence, mistrust, racism, and death of minorities due to the violence, mistrust, and racism is a very real problem and threat.  A threat to the lives of individuals in this country.  A threat to the ideals of this country which the flag, the symbol, is mean to represent. 

“But strive first for the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)  Strive first to end the violence, mistrust, and racism that is killing people in America and killing America itself.  Then, honoring the flag may be given to you as well.