I Am Not At War. Care To Join Me?

It seems everywhere I turn lately, I hear the same refrain:

“THIS IS WAR.”

“War is coming.”

“War is here.”

It comes from politicians, pundits, and even some pastors.  I hear it from the left, right, religious leaders, and followers alike.

But let me say it as plainly as I can: I am not at war.

When Jesus walked the earth, he never talked about culture wars. He didn’t rally soldiers to fight. He didn’t say, “Pick up your sword and defend me.” In fact, he told Peter the opposite: “Put your sword away.”

The kingdom Jesus came to build wasn’t about retribution or vengeance. It was about love, mercy, and forgiveness.

A couple of Sundays ago, the choir at my church sang the old spiritual hymn “Down by the Riverside.”  These lyrics stuck with me…

“Well, I'm gonna put on my long white robe,
(Where?) down by the riverside...
Well, I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield, 
(Where?) down by the riverside

Down by the riverside, down by the riverside

I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield, 
(A-ha) down by the riverside

I'm gonna study war no more”

I don’t think we sang that particular song purely by coincidence.

The song, born out of the pain of slavery, carried a powerful hope: I will lay down my sword and shield. I will cross the river into freedom.

The river represents the Ohio River as a boundary between slave and free states.  It is also symbolic of baptism with the white robes, or the Jordan River, which led the ancient Hebrews to the Promised Land. 

Then comes the great line, “I’m gonna study war no more.” 

In other words, I’m laying down weapons, refusing to fight.  I’m not going to let war — in any form — be my teacher anymore.

That’s the path I choose. To lay down bitterness. To leave behind hate. To pick up the white robe of grace. To unleash nothing but mercy, kindness, and the fruits of the Spirit.

Jesus said we would be hated, but may I be hated not because I fought a war of words, but because I forgave too much, loved too freely, and welcomed the foreigner and the outcast.

If we look carefully at the Gospels, the offense and hatred Jesus drew came most sharply from the religious establishments… not the tax collectors, not the prostitutes, not the outcasts. The sinners weren’t clutching their pearls because Jesus was too bold—they were actually drawn to Him because He carried both truth and mercy.

And when I look at the New Testament church, I see the same pattern. The early Christians weren’t hated because they insulted pagans or dunked on the culture; they were hated because they loved radically, forgave freely, and refused to bow to idols of the empire. Their courage wasn’t about volume—it was about sacrifice, washing feet, forgiving enemies, and carrying crosses, not winning debates.

So here’s my invitation: Will you join me down by the riverside?  Will you wear the white robe, be cleansed, and leave the language of war behind?  Trust me, there’s plenty of room, robes, water, and grace for all.

#Iamnotatwar