on god's side?
I know that for some to realize that God is not a “lapel pin wearing” republican may come as a surprise. For others to wrestle with the implications of God not being a “card carrying” democrat may be as equally shocking. The real jolt to many people’s system is this … God is not a “red blooded” American. Now many of you know this deep down inside, but we do try and call our side the “side of God”, and we all are guilty of doing so. As soon as we call our political stance “biblical” or claim any divine moral superiority for what we believe then we are in fact saying God is a _________________ (put appropriate label here).
This whole thought process gets even darker for some when they are forced to confront the idea that God is not a member of the Chrisitan Reformed Church (once this is dealt with we do need to move forward. For example we need to also come to grips with the fact that God is also not Dutch ... or even white for that matter). While you are laughing and pumping your fist … may I remind you He is also not Baptist, Episcopal, Catholic, Lutheran, or “non-denominational.” God is God. Sometimes I think we are less like him beneath our religious labels than we are like him.
I say this because I am tired of religion and politics that draws sharp dividing lines. I can scarcely say the name Hillary Clinton in some circles without hearing a sigh, and ugghh, or see a roll of the eyes. Conversely I cannot talk about our President without hearing a complaint about him, and his narrow-minded gun-slinging apporach to war. I place myself in this. I do it all the time. There are things on both sides that I want to pick at. As we are caught in our debates people are dying, injustice in spilling out into our streets, and hunger is harassing innocent people.
We need to stop the protests.
It is easy to say what you are against.
We need to state what we are for.
It is amazing to me how quickly the Michigan gubernatorial race has already begun turning the corner toward unkind speech. The Republican side has gone the way of patronizing, “back-handed” compliments about our governor before she even released her own official advert. Why? Tell me what you are about, not what the other person may or may not do well.
Last night I listened to a speech from Sen. Barack Obama. He reflected on his senate election race alongside his opponent Alan Keyes. Alan Keyes came out blasting him stating emphatically, “Barack Obama cannot be a follower of Jesus.” Sen. Obama reflected that while he was instructed not to reply, he felt he had to because of his deep commitment to God and his Son Jesus. Imagine two men who serve the same God divided because of political issues.
We compare notes about our churches. We toss around the term biblical to scare others into thinking that what we say has authority or merit so as to shut down the argument. We refuse to lock arms with one another because one thinks the Rapture is imminent and the other thinks the Rapture is absurd.
Can we just all stop the pithy arguments?
There are men and women starving, and who lack clean drinking water. Meanwhile, bureaucrats, “Christians”, and politicians sit and argue about their differences even differneces over the issue of poverty. As they do, these men and women who are poor are dying (one every three seconds) while a person menacingly for his or her point.
What could happen if we could lay down our differences and lock arms with one another? Part of me believes that by doing this we would not only be “proclaiming good news for the poor”, but we would also gain much needed credibility in our global world. The amount of resources that we have at our disposal is amazing. Let’s do what we can together to use our voice, influence, money, time, energy … no “one” will be able to claim it is their own victory, it will be ours. We can win … but we have to do it together.
So, the next time you find yourself upset by someone else’s politics find your common ground. Move forward to help the poor in your midst together. The next time you see someone reading Left in Flames (or any other book series that may be similar), bite your tongue step-up and recognize that the spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon you to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Differences will never go away … but together we can overcome these to change the world.