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i never talk politics. all of you do, but i don’t. you may think i’m a chicken or i’m just uneducated, but neither is true. i care deeply about the american political scene…stay current…and have some really strong political opinions. but you will never hear them.
well…almost.
in light of the mid-term election process we have just completed, here are five thoughts, explanations, or personal opinions i’ll pass on:
1. the priority reason i never talk politics is because i am unwilling to alienate a large percentage of the people i serve as a leader in my church family. shock…north point has republicans, democrats and libertarians. maybe even a few tea partiers. i wouldn’t be surprised to hear of a greenie. i’ve found that of all the topics up for discussion around the communion table, there is nothing more polarizing than one’s political opinions. if i’m going to polarize and alienate people, i’m sure as heck going to do it over my sports teams or favorite fast food restaurants…and not political rhetoric.
2. i’m weary of people…christians in particular…who show disrespect and cast judgment on legitimate politicians and the people who align themselves political party platforms. i’m tired of smug superior attitudes…from all sides. i’m tired of claims that one’s sources of information are vastly superior and infinitely more reliable than others…and the requisite smug judgment that normally follows. christ died to break down the dividing walls of hostility that separated not just the jews from the greeks, but the walls that separated classes and sexes and religious traditions and cultural heritage. christians must never be found guilty of erecting dividing walls…but always be seen as those who peacefully and respectfully tear them down.
i am as disgusted with people who call obama an evil, closet-muslim, destroyer of the american way…as i was of those who mocked george W with their slanderous insults about his lack of education, poor leadership skills and embarrassment to our country.
3. i love that we live in a country that cherishes the right of individual citizens to freely speak their minds…even if it means openly criticizing and undermining the president and the government he leads. men and women died for this freedom. i’m grateful for it. but as christians, we are first and foremost citizens of the kingdom of god…a nation that runs by completely different standards than the country of our earthly citizenship. the word of god says that we are to submit to our earthly leaders and pray for them. it’s just my opinion, but if you are not praying faithfully and sincerely for our leaders, you have no right to criticize. in fact, there are some stern warnings in the rule book of the kingdom about developing a critical spirit. beware.
4. i know this is not a new thought, but god is neither a republican nor a democrat. both platforms have good and bad from a biblical point of view. honest faith must be free to challenge both the right and the left from a consistent moral…and biblical ground. civil, loving, open and respectful dialogue is the only kind of dialogue that should characterize believers and fellow-citizens of the kingdom.
5. politics corrupt. every time. for every man and woman. it just seems like it’s the nature of the beast. a wise man once observed that even when a new leader takes over for an old foolish one, the new leader eventually becomes as bad as the old one.
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
we are kingdom people first. always. so let our thoughts, behaviors, interactions, relationships, and…politics… always reflect the grace and mercy of our king. always.
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