This is a re-print of the article that I
wrote to my congregation for the weekly email newsletter. I don’t normally use the
same article for both avenues, but since today is Election Day I was prompted to
do so. I hope those of my congregation who bother to read my blog won’t mind.
In Hebrews 13:17 it
states: “Obey your leaders and submit to their
authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them
so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no
advantage to you.” I have always applied that verse not only to
church leaders, but also to the elected political leaders thus raising the
question as to how does a person honor the authority of those with whom one
disagrees?
We are in the final days
of a long – very long – political process. Hopefully, by this evening, or early
tomorrow morning, we will know who the president and other elected leaders will
be. Regardless of who wins, we should all work together for the sake of our
country.
There are those who have
already stated that if the president gets reelected they will do everything in
their power to make sure that nothing he proposes gets done. These are the same
individuals who committed themselves to make sure that he was going to be only
a one-term president. I’m not sure how that thinking is going to heal our
country or move it towards a better day. I’m sure if their candidate wins they
will be expecting to receive cooperation from across the aisle.
My feelings came to the
surface recently when I was asked if I was a Democrat or Republican. I
responded, “Neither, I’m a Christian!” The individual didn’t know how to
respond initially, but was quick to recover with, “Well, that means that you
are a conservative and thus, a Republican.” To which I stated, “You are wrong
on all accounts! I’m a Christian. I do not take sides – conservative or
liberal. I choose to be in the ministry of reconciliation. As Christians we
should go out of our way to bring people together. To do whatever we can to
heal the divide that is so evident throughout our country.”
This is a change for me.
Previously, I’ve taken sides using Facebook and emails to express those
thoughts, but this year more than at any other time I’ve been haunted by what a
Christian’s position should be in the middle of all this mess. One person
stated that he votes based on one issue and only on one issue – period – end of
story. And I thought, “How sad.” I didn’t know how to respond and if I did it
would have only opened a debate. I was speechless as was the person mentioned
earlier. He just stood there and shook his head … he too was speechless.
He was more speechless
than the young female that turned to be and ask what my sign was. I knew what
she was getting at, but I gave her the response that I have been giving for the
last 12 years … “My sign is the sign of the Cross. I’m governed by the Grace of
God and not by the movement of the planets. My horoscope is written in 66 books
of the Old and New Testament.” She looked at me, kind of stunned, then smiled
and shared, “Good answer!” ... and walked away singing a happy tune.
In short, we are in a
position now more than ever to move the public dialogue in a total different
direction … and hopefully, bringing about an entire new way of thinking. Oh, by
the way, I think that it is a great way to witness to the truth that is within
us! Yes, we need to take sides … actually we need to take only one side – God’s.
Yes, we do need to vote based on the best information available, but once the
nation has spoken then work with whoever is elected to heal the nation for the
sake of all people.
And now for the task at
hand – to pray not that one candidate wins over another, but rather that God
will work in and through whoever wins to heal the country so that we can get on
with the business of helping to heal the nations of the world … not as
international policemen, but as people who worship a God who called us into
being for a purpose … a divine purpose.
No comments:
Post a Comment