"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."1 Timothy 2:1-4, NIV
As I have surfed the blog-o-sphere, I have been amazed at the number of one-sided comments regarding the upcoming presidential elections. It seems that there are many Christians, mostly Republican, but some Democrat, who seem to think that their particular political party is completely representative - and thus their presidential candidate - of Christianity and Christian values. Sure, I applaud Republicans for their emphasis on family values, the rights of the unborn and abstinence outside of marriage. I also applaud Democrats for championing the cause of the poor, the minorities, and the women's rights. I find much good with both parties, and values that leave much to be desired.
Furthermore, I am concerned over Christian leaders who seem to think that the election of their particular candidate is the answer to all the problems our country faces. We hold the dillusion that the president will help with our mortgage payments, return overseas jobs or create new ones here. We believe that Roe v. Wade will be overturned, which it has not. We believe that we will treat each other equally, and that the poor will be lifted from poverty. We believe all this because who wins the presidential election.
Subsequently, I am amazed at how passionate we are about our politics. We are so passionate that we fail to walk in the other's shoes. We fail to see things from the other's point of view. We fail to sympathize with the plight of our opponents. And, we fail to understand that the issues on which we base our decision are more nuanced than "Pro-life" or "Pro-choice." They are more nuanced than "continue the war" or "bring the troops home." They are more nuanced than "trickle-down" economics or tax breaks for the poor and lower middle class. It is interesting how I have seen that my own family situations have both benfitted and suffered at the hands of policies supported by both Republicans and Democrats.
The potential poison of politics is that we eventually come to believe that God somehow magically waves his wand of blessing over the country that has His ideals on their lawbooks. The fallacious and potentially evil suppositions that God released his hand of protection over America (as if God ever had a hand of protection on it) on 9/11 or that Hurricaine Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005 as God's punishment to all those who are immoral are unwarranted in scripture and dangerous to all. Yet this thinking dominates our pews on Sunday Morning. We fail to understand how God blesses, how He judges, His intent in salvation, and the depth of his love for a lost world. Also, we some how seem to rest our faith in who is elected for our well-being, rather than remembering from whom our well being comes.
This election I will:
1. Vote my conscience, using my own faith to shape my politics.
2. Pray for our leaders. God is pleased with this. I am thankful for everyone who aspires to public office, because it is a difficult job. They accomplish a lot of good, whether we like their affiliation or not.
3. Not lose a bit of sleep over who is elected.
Why? Because the God I serve is at work regardless of who is elected president. Because I believe that Christians still make a difference in this world, with every adopted child, with every Christian who ascends to political office (locally, regionally, nationally), with every new job created by a Christian businessman or businesswoman, with every student who sits under a Christian teacher in the classroom, with every prayer I say with my kids, and with every breath taken in the world.
Voting makes a difference. But standing on the sideline hoping that my candidate will change things is un-christian. We are called to politics. Our faith is public. It permeates every aspect of our lives. God has called the church, equipped the church, and exalted the church to be Hs people, His politics, at work in the world empowered by the Spirit to embody the character of Christ in the world.
I will not share my voting habits, but everytime my candidate lost, the sun still shined. Most of all, I cling to the promise of Matthew 6:33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Someone else is still in control.
Grace and peace,
Tim
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