I am highly passionate about politics. I get into the nuts and bolts of policy and I really do believe that what is going to happen electorally on Tuesday November 8th will indeed have far-reaching consequences for every person in our country. Yet, I have not done that much posting on Facebook about my political opinions and that which is my desire for the outcome of the upcoming election. Around friends with whom I know that I disagree politically, I will absolutely have discussions and we can have very interesting conversations; yet I try to always halt the conversation before it gets heated; and I'll tell you why - I firmly believe that the Lord is far more important than what is going to happen on November 8th; and I am convinced that we are putting way too much importance on who will be stewarding our Federal government for the next 4 years and way too little importance on the God who not only stewards - but holds this entire creation together; and our lack of priority is corroding that which is very important - our relationships with one another.
Let me try and explain. I have been blessed in my Facebook friend list to have many Trump supporters and many Hillary supporters. I find some of the articles posted interesting and I laugh at many of the political memes. And, if that's all that was going on - people sharing their political thoughts and all, then what I am about to write would be unnecessary. However, I see much more.
I see much of what people post - and a lot of it is downright hateful: And through this electoral season I have encountered people from both sides basically write something along the lines of, "I simply cannot be friends with anyone who would vote for _____." I have seen some people simply astonished at those with whom they disagree. "What! You're one of them...." I have seen friendships of years vanish publicly over differing political philosophies. It is pitiful.
I have seen people become downright vicious with those whom they disagree. I do not think I am alone in this - I believe you have seen it as well. [On a side note - I think we have to keep in mind that we are not safe from enacting cruelty while we type behind our computers. What we write behind our computers is read by someone else behind their's. We need to keep that in mind before we post something...]
I decided at the beginning stages of this election to follow the advice of the Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 2:2, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." You see, I already know that He is the rock of offense; and if you are going to dislike me or unfriend me, I hope it is because of my adoration for Him; not my affinity for a political figure. I yearn to be defined by my love for Jesus - not my love for a political party or a political candidate; because this is what I know - no matter who is elected on November 8th, this world is going to remain sinful and is desperately in need of the knowledge of the Savior.
That is not to say that I think that what happens with this election is unimportant. I do not believe that. I believe it is very important. I simply do not believe it is of paramount importance; and my focus ought always to be on that which is paramount; perhaps better stated - He who is paramount.
Take a deep breathe and look at the nations of the world. Find the nation that is sinless. [hint - there isn't one.] Find the nation that has somehow found the secret to governing so well that ALL its people prosper. [Hint - there isn't one].
I know that many of my friends yearn for government as it was when we were founded. Most of my friends that want that though...are not black. I would not want to be black and live at the founding of our nation. That would suck. Badly.
I know that many of my friends yearn for government to give, "rights" to more and more people. Yet...a government that bestows rights - has control over those rights. That is terrifying. According to the Declaration of Indpendence, [of which my Bible agrees in this point] my rights are given to me by God - not government. It is government's duty to protect rights - not bestow them. Government needs to stop in the box given it by God. An ever encroaching government is no good. At all.
One of the things I find so impressive about Jesus is that when He physically walked the earth 2000 years ago, his political nation was under military occupation by an invading Pagan force. Yet, in the Gospels, Jesus spends absolutely zero time talking about this political reality. I truly believe I know why. It wasn't worth His time. You see, Rome today [the military force that occupied Israel at the time of Jesus] is simply a city in Italy today. It is but a mere fleabite of what it once was. Yet, the people that Jesus engaged with at that time are eternally enjoying heaven or eternally suffering in hell. Cities fall. Nations todder. But people live forever.
Have you ever wondered why the greatest commandment - and the 2nd - are what they are? For those of you that do not know them they can be found in Mark 12:30-31, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Do you want to know why these are the greatest commandments? The answer is actually quite simple - they deal with that which is eternal - God and your neighbor.
I do not want to lose friends over politics. As a matter of fact, I can assuredly tell you that as long as you desire friendship - it will never end simply because of your political views. I make that promise.
Beloved, I know a few things most assuredly:
1. This world is sinful. I am a part of this sinful world. Therefore, I am part of the problem. There is only one cure for it - and His name is Jesus. I must strive to love Him.
2. People are very important. Love them.
One last impressive thing about Jesus. He chose some interesting characters to be a part of His 12 Disciples. Two that are pertinent to this blog post and impress me are Simon the Zealot and Matthew the Tax Collector. For those that are not familiar with Biblical history, a Zealot was an individual that was part of a faction of individuals at the time of Christ that wanted to overthrow the Romans - by any means necessary. They were militaristic and violent.
Jewish Tax Collectors were hated by the regular Jewish layman at the time of Jesus. They were traitors to their country in that they paid the Roman government for the, "privilege" of being a customs officer and taxing the Jews. They would often take more than what was demanded of them by the Romans and enrich themselves on the backs of the poor Jews that were being oppressed.
Jesus could have chosen anyone to be His followers. I smile when I think of the first night when Simon and Matthew are at the same table as Jesus' disciples. Just a few days prior Simon would have wanted to kill Matthew and Matthew would have wanted to hand Simon over...but now - after an encounter with Jesus - they were on the same spiritual team. That, my friends, is impressive.
I want to work on being that kind of guy. I am far from it now. But Lord, I pray I will get closer. I will do my Christian duty and vote. I will pray for the direction of this nation. I will most likely stay up late on election night watching the returns. I am interested. But Lord, let me not be too interested...
Your friend,
Chris
Let me try and explain. I have been blessed in my Facebook friend list to have many Trump supporters and many Hillary supporters. I find some of the articles posted interesting and I laugh at many of the political memes. And, if that's all that was going on - people sharing their political thoughts and all, then what I am about to write would be unnecessary. However, I see much more.
I see much of what people post - and a lot of it is downright hateful: And through this electoral season I have encountered people from both sides basically write something along the lines of, "I simply cannot be friends with anyone who would vote for _____." I have seen some people simply astonished at those with whom they disagree. "What! You're one of them...." I have seen friendships of years vanish publicly over differing political philosophies. It is pitiful.
I have seen people become downright vicious with those whom they disagree. I do not think I am alone in this - I believe you have seen it as well. [On a side note - I think we have to keep in mind that we are not safe from enacting cruelty while we type behind our computers. What we write behind our computers is read by someone else behind their's. We need to keep that in mind before we post something...]
I decided at the beginning stages of this election to follow the advice of the Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 2:2, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." You see, I already know that He is the rock of offense; and if you are going to dislike me or unfriend me, I hope it is because of my adoration for Him; not my affinity for a political figure. I yearn to be defined by my love for Jesus - not my love for a political party or a political candidate; because this is what I know - no matter who is elected on November 8th, this world is going to remain sinful and is desperately in need of the knowledge of the Savior.
That is not to say that I think that what happens with this election is unimportant. I do not believe that. I believe it is very important. I simply do not believe it is of paramount importance; and my focus ought always to be on that which is paramount; perhaps better stated - He who is paramount.
Take a deep breathe and look at the nations of the world. Find the nation that is sinless. [hint - there isn't one.] Find the nation that has somehow found the secret to governing so well that ALL its people prosper. [Hint - there isn't one].
I know that many of my friends yearn for government as it was when we were founded. Most of my friends that want that though...are not black. I would not want to be black and live at the founding of our nation. That would suck. Badly.
I know that many of my friends yearn for government to give, "rights" to more and more people. Yet...a government that bestows rights - has control over those rights. That is terrifying. According to the Declaration of Indpendence, [of which my Bible agrees in this point] my rights are given to me by God - not government. It is government's duty to protect rights - not bestow them. Government needs to stop in the box given it by God. An ever encroaching government is no good. At all.
One of the things I find so impressive about Jesus is that when He physically walked the earth 2000 years ago, his political nation was under military occupation by an invading Pagan force. Yet, in the Gospels, Jesus spends absolutely zero time talking about this political reality. I truly believe I know why. It wasn't worth His time. You see, Rome today [the military force that occupied Israel at the time of Jesus] is simply a city in Italy today. It is but a mere fleabite of what it once was. Yet, the people that Jesus engaged with at that time are eternally enjoying heaven or eternally suffering in hell. Cities fall. Nations todder. But people live forever.
Have you ever wondered why the greatest commandment - and the 2nd - are what they are? For those of you that do not know them they can be found in Mark 12:30-31, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Do you want to know why these are the greatest commandments? The answer is actually quite simple - they deal with that which is eternal - God and your neighbor.
I do not want to lose friends over politics. As a matter of fact, I can assuredly tell you that as long as you desire friendship - it will never end simply because of your political views. I make that promise.
Beloved, I know a few things most assuredly:
1. This world is sinful. I am a part of this sinful world. Therefore, I am part of the problem. There is only one cure for it - and His name is Jesus. I must strive to love Him.
2. People are very important. Love them.
One last impressive thing about Jesus. He chose some interesting characters to be a part of His 12 Disciples. Two that are pertinent to this blog post and impress me are Simon the Zealot and Matthew the Tax Collector. For those that are not familiar with Biblical history, a Zealot was an individual that was part of a faction of individuals at the time of Christ that wanted to overthrow the Romans - by any means necessary. They were militaristic and violent.
Jewish Tax Collectors were hated by the regular Jewish layman at the time of Jesus. They were traitors to their country in that they paid the Roman government for the, "privilege" of being a customs officer and taxing the Jews. They would often take more than what was demanded of them by the Romans and enrich themselves on the backs of the poor Jews that were being oppressed.
Jesus could have chosen anyone to be His followers. I smile when I think of the first night when Simon and Matthew are at the same table as Jesus' disciples. Just a few days prior Simon would have wanted to kill Matthew and Matthew would have wanted to hand Simon over...but now - after an encounter with Jesus - they were on the same spiritual team. That, my friends, is impressive.
I want to work on being that kind of guy. I am far from it now. But Lord, I pray I will get closer. I will do my Christian duty and vote. I will pray for the direction of this nation. I will most likely stay up late on election night watching the returns. I am interested. But Lord, let me not be too interested...
Your friend,
Chris
