On Being a World-Class Citizen

For several years, I worked as a contract consultant for an organization created and funded by the Lilly Endowment. During a staff meeting one day, we discussed the interfaith and ecumenical nature of our work. The President asked us if we knew why the Endowment emphasized a commitment to this scope. I’m guessing we all thought it was because religious pluralism was a value. Tim surprised us when he said, “No. It’s because the Lilly family believes that hospitality is a distinctly Christian value.”

That turned my perspective on its ear! In other words, we didn’t serve all congregations, no matter their religion or spirituality, because it was the cool or sexy thing to do. We served them because it was the Christian thing to do.

I’ve thought of this conversation many times as I witness the current debate about what it means (and doesn’t mean) that our country is a Christian nation. Some argue that because we were founded by Christians on Christian principles, we should enforce Christian beliefs and values on all our citizens, no matter their religious or irreligious affiliation.

Yet if you consider the Judeo-Christian faith, it is historically pluralistic and has a worldwide scope. Consider Abraham, the father of the Jewish faith. God blessed him so that all the families of the earth should be blessed through him. (Genesis 12:1-3)  When Jesus came on the scene in the 1^st Century, it was because “God so loved the world.” (John 3:16). And when Jesus commissioned his followers to carry on his vision for life, he told them to go into all the world and teach people the way of Jesus. (Matthew 28: 18)

Even in the final book of the Bible, the Apostle John described a vision he had of the Tree of Life and of all creation restored; its leaves, John imagined, are for the “healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-5) The Judeo-Christian faith has always been about the welfare of all nations of the earth. We have been called to be world-class citizens.

I recall hearing the phrase “world-class citizen” years ago during an interview with a local civic leader in education. I was immediately drawn to its vision. She suggested that students in this educational model are being trained to consider not only their own well-being, or the well-being of their country of origin, but the well-being of the entire world; to become civic-minded adults who consider the health and welfare of every and all people.  “What could be more Christian?” I must ask.

To be a follower of Jesus, to identify as a Christian, I must accept the scope of the calling. Gordon Smith, in his book Courage and Calling, explains that we actually have three ways of living out our Christian faith. We may identify with a specific calling: “I’m called to be a teacher.” We may also have a calling related to our life-stage: “Because I’m a mom, I’m called to take care of my children.” And we also have a general calling as Christians: “I’m called to invest my life for the good of all people.”

What I appreciate about Smith’s perspective is that all three “callings” must exist in harmony with one another. We can’t say, “I’m called to be a teacher,” and therefore neglect our children. And we can’t say that I’m called to be a mother; therefore, I don’t need to be concerned about the plight of people on the other side of the world.

If I identify as a follower of Jesus, I cannot—MUST NOT—be indifferent to the suffering of another or hostile toward our differences, no matter whether this other is a member of my family, my neighbor, a fellow American, a Palestinian, a Muslim in my backyard, or a Hindu on the other side of the world. Even if my specific calling or life-stage has little direct contact with those who are suffering or have a different religious affiliation than me, it is simply not Christian to be indifferent to or disrespectful of them! 

In some circles, it may be in vogue to be a world-class citizen. It might even be sexy. But for me, the calling to be a global citizen, to extend hospitality and empathy toward all people and invest in the welfare of our planet, is as Christian as being a loving human being. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s the same thing.