We should all try a bit harder to be like Mr. Donald Trump.
Well, kind of like Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump displays a character trait I appreciate: He isn’t afraid to make people uncomfortable or angry. He isn’t afraid to be disruptive or interrupt.
In this way, I believe Donald Trump is quite similar to Jesus.
Let’s get really clear here. Donald’s traits are unbearable because he’s interrupting and angering the wrong people. He’s insulting those on the margins. He’s angering those courageous ones who are fighting for equality and justice and mercy. Mr. Trump represents the status quo.
Jesus interrupted the status quo. He angered the wealthy. He made religious experts incredibly uncomfortable. Jesus was not afraid to disrupt dinner parties or church meetings.
Jesus would make a terrible Christian.
We Christian types, we would frown upon the antics of Jesus because we love sensibility and order and “peace.” Even the most progressive Christians call for appropriate behavior. When the Black Lives Matter movement interrupted politician Bernie Sanders, many of my most liberal, Christian friends called harm and foul.
But Jesus doesn’t care for this appropriate behavior that we often label as piety and peace. He came to make trouble! If we recall, he was so troublesome and problematic, the government executed him.
Jesus offended lots of people. (And no, I’m not suggesting that we run rampant, hurting the feelings of as many people as possible.)
I am, however, suggesting that if Jesus showed up right here, he’d have dinner with drag queens, smear dirt all over our carpeted sanctuaries, argue with bishops, turn our sweet tea into PBR, and invite Muslims, undocumented immigrants and doctors who perform abortions into the kingdom of heaven.
I’m positive this picture is offensive to many folks.
And I’m aware that being offensive can be incredibly hurtful. Just look at the American political landscape. I absolutely don’t want to contribute to the disheartening mess that is the American political, vitriolic dichotomy. Jesus was radically inappropriate but not vitriolic.
Interrupting does not have to include insulting.
Let’s make sure we don’t confuse harmful insults with disorienting movements of inappropriate action. Jesus’ way was a disorienting movement of inappropriate action.
Jesus was always interrupting and causing discomfort for the comfortable. He would probably interrupt me right now. He’d interrupt any of us who think we have a hold on truth.
So let’s steal that brazen attitude of Mr. Trump and interrupt those who hold the privilege. Let’s disrupt those who own the power and stake claim on truth.
The spirit of Jesus is already deconstructing the massive institutions that have attempted to co-opt and lockdown truth and goodness. Let’s join in on that parade of inappropriate vivacity.
Let’s trust Jesus when he says it’s appropriate to question authority.
It’s appropriate to flip over tables of injustice. It’s appropriate to seriously give up all of your possessions. It’s appropriate to choose faithfulness to God instead of faithfulness to institutional systems that claim God. It’s appropriate to love when it makes more sense to fear. It’s appropriate to have more questions than answers.
As a follower of an interrupting Jesus, I want to be a terrible Christian, too.
Brittany lives in Charlottesville, VA with her wife Lindsay and their skeptical dog Eliza. She enjoys dancing, deconstructing destructive dominions of dominance, and alliterations. Above all else, Brittany tries to keep it real.
Twitter: @brittanydare
