Did you know that Porsche made a tractor? I didn’t. Truthfully, I never thought about it. That is, until a guy in Germany posted a picture of one on a website dedicated to Star Wars collecting. Yes, you read that right, the site is not dedicated to tractors in any way, but this acquaintance from Germany happened on a tractor show while biking home from work and thought it would be fun to post the 1963 Porsche tractor picture. I’m not a tractor aficionado (though my dad was), but it was interesting to see.
One week later, while visiting family in Boise, we went to the West Idaho State Fair and, wouldn’t you know it, they had a small tractor show. So, thinking of my friend in Germany, I took some pictures and posted them too. It led to a fun little exchange that was far off the topic of Star Wars and actually more personal.
What has struck me in the days since is that when we have a heart that is open and a mind that is alert, we can find places of common ground. And…places much more significant than tractors. If we take our theology seriously we understand that every human being is made in the image of God (though that image is marred and masked by the Fall). We share in common dreams and hopes and fears and limits, even if we approach them very differently. I believe deeply, though I continue to work this belief out with varying degrees of success, that if we are willing to listen carefully to others, no matter how different from us they are, we can find a point of common ground and treat them with dignity. I think this is what Jesus modeled for us and, in this moment, it is precisely the counter-cultural pattern we should be demonstrating to others.
Listening well and finding common ground may not be the catalyst for a transformation in American culture, but it just might give opportunity to share our faith gracefully, to show love meaningfully, and to push back the shadows of fear and suspicion.
I don’t know, but maybe, just maybe, God will use the tractors to open the door to a deeper conversations about life, hope and faith.
Pursue Christ – He is enough,
Pastor Jeff
PS – If your interested, from the Porsche website:
“Porsche is heading even further off road with the all-electric Mission E Tractor…With a power output in excess of 700hp, the Mission E Tractor will be the fastest accelerating agricultural vehicle in the world…” They just can’t help themselves, can they?