BY STEPHEN CHAVEZ

ealing with the human condition in the abstract is easy. Who doesn't know, for example, that Christians support marriage and discourage divorce? It's a given.

But sadly, we live in a world in which the number of divorces in Christian families almost exactly mirrors the divorce rate of society in general. It's easy to take to task "those people" for being careless about their wedding vows, until we realize that we know one--or both--of the principals involved in the divorce. Maybe it's a child, a parent, a sibling, a close friend, a fellow church member. Those whose marriages disintegrate aren't just statistics; they are friends or family members.

That doesn't mean that we countenance divorce; it just means that every problem has a face. And in spite of the church's official position about divorce, when it happens the family involved needs the support and goodwill of the local church if anything redemptive is to come from the situation.

It's far too easy to vilify a whole class of people en masse--divorcés, Roman Catholics, Republicans, liberals, homosexuals, telemarketers, etc.--than it is to get to know them, understand their points of view, and develop the means by which we might reflect to them the claims of the gospel. "Those people" make easy targets. They're out there. Their beliefs and behaviors may be at odds with one or more of our fundamental beliefs.

Yet if the gospel teaches us anything, it teaches us that whatever their label, people have individual needs and opinions that can't be captured by blanket statements and condemnations. You can no more characterize all Roman Catholics as being the same than you can assert that all Adventists are the same--even the ones in your local church.

When we live insular lives, when most of our close friends are like us, it's hard to see things from anything other than our culturally conditioned point of view. But when "those people" have faces, it's harder to be harsh, rigid, and condemning, easier to be compassionate and understanding.

I admire the Adventist scholars who sometimes dialogue with scholars from other faith traditions. It's often a process that lasts several years. They come together in settings of mutual respect and work through issues point by point. Sometimes they reach an impasse; they agree to disagree. But they always end the discussion in a spirit of collegiality and Christian fellowship. Abiding friendships often endure after the formal dialogues end.

The beauty of Jesus' ministry was that although He was never married, He knew how to empathize with those who were. Although He was never a parent, He knew how to counsel those who were. Although He never sinned, He was able to minister to those who sinned. He acted appropriately in every situation because He lived His life in community with the people He came to serve. He knew their struggles and frustrations, their joys and triumphs. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Isa. 42:3, NIV). Often those who seemed least likely candidates for God's kingdom were pulled into Christ's orbit by the gravity of His empathy and compassion.

Here's a challenge: Identify two or three individuals who represent a group with which you have little or nothing in common--teenagers, homosexuals, illegal immigrants, Muslims, atheists, etc. In an informal setting, ask them about their lives: What are their dreams? Who have been the most powerful influences in their spiritual and emotional development? How have they been affected by Christians and Christianity?

Most of us are clueless about what makes "those people" tick because we've never taken the time or made the effort to get to know them as individuals. It's just too easy to paint everyone in that category with the same broad brush.

Generalizations and stereotypes have been the bane of religious people for countless generations. Whatever we think about "those people," whether they differ from us religiously, behaviorally, culturally, or philosophically, our duty is to approach them--as individuals--with Christlike concern and demonstrate Christian love.

If we are brave enough to venture out of our comfort zones, maybe we can play a part in removing the obstacles that come between "those people" and His people.

_________________________
Stephen Chavez is managing editor of the Adventist Review.