BRING POLITICS TO THE TABLE

Politics Missions Posted November 8, 2020


Bye, bye, Miss American Pie...

I know. I know.

You're burnt out. Every nerve has been rubbed raw. You don't want to make any waves. You probably don't even want to read this. You just want to watch the Detroit Lions get pummeled, even if you don't know the first thing about football.

But I need you to stick with me here. Take a moment, splash some water on your face, do whatever you need to do – because there is a massive evangelistic opportunity to be had, one that everyone can walk away with a better understanding of this world. The problems we face as a nation have been ignored for far too long, and the only way they’re going to get solved is if we act.

"Silence in the face of evil is still evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German Pastor and Theologian -

If Christianity really is supposed to be a way of life here, someone is bound to ask you some tough questions. Where exactly were we when slavery was a thing here? Or racial segregation? There's a humanitarian crisis inside of every one of our own hospitals right now. We may have always been against these issues, but how many of us won’t get involved if there's a slight chance for repercussions? Just mentioning the ACLU is often enough to turn us away. Meanwhile, that guy I quoted earlier was martyred by Nazis for not being silent.

We are still better off than most Christ followers who have ever lived on this Earth, and we still have tremendous power if we are willing to exercise it. How America got to where it is today was by no accident. When we deliver on the obedience, God delivers on the results (Ps. 1:1-3) This has quickly changed in the advent of social media, however. Instead of being more united to act on solutions, we tend to blame our problems on whoever doesn't validate our opinions. Democrats and Republicans may do this all the time, but it’s a shame when I see Christians do it as well.

You see, Christianity doesn't fit within a two-party system. The Bible can press your joy buzzer at any given moment. There are seemingly liberal verses on racial justice (Jm. 2: 1-4) and feeding the poor (Is. 58:7), but there's also rather conservative verses on having sex within marriage (Hb. 13:4) and raising boys and girls to be men and women respectively (1 Tm. 2:8-10, 3:2-3, Pr. 31:30). By being a Christian, you are already set apart from the world (Mt. 5: 2-10). The important thing to remember is we are Christians first, and everything else (e.g., our nationalities, political stance, levels of wealth, success, or popularity) comes at a distant second. If you're more concerned about what someone else or some group has to say instead what Jesus says, it's possible that THEY are your Lord instead (Mt. 12:30,13:22). By emphasizing some verses and ignoring others, you risk warping your understanding of Jesus. You may be worshipping and putting your eternal fate into someone who doesn't even exist (2 Cor. 11: 3-4).

"But it's clear that Jesus was a Socialist Deconstructionist Feminist!"
- Anonymous Socialist Deconstructionist Feminist -


Exactly. As long as we keep putting God in our little boxes, He isn't going to move us anywhere. That's why church meetings tend to become a hilarious comedy of manners. Some people who are Christian are effectively dead weight, doing the bare minimum to be given a new life that they will never truly live. Some will even oppose advancing the Kingdom, particularly when it's on the brink of dominating our realms of law, economics, and education (as it should).

Both political parties have become more divided because we as Christians have become more divided. Because of that, we have formed blind spots for what's really happening. Both parties have abandoned the causes in favor of focusing on a misguided war, and they will continue to reinforce their rage until rage is all that they are. Were Biden supporters Godless? Are Trump supporters racist? I don’t think it really matters, because there are people still getting left behind in this world. There's houses that need to be built, meals that need to be made, relationships that need to be fulfilled, and souls that need to be saved. Indifference gives way to opposition, and opposition hollows us out from the inside. It’s up to us to show Washington that there is something better.

If every one of us who believes in "loving your neighbor as yourself" put that much into practice, we would change the world overnight. As someone working in retail, this is a challenge to myself before anyone else. But if you want change and are serious about making something happen, it all starts with opening our hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit. Whether it's bringing encouragement to the fearful, or healing the injured, or loving the hated, the Lord will give us the strength and the means to pull it off if we are willing. Talk about it with your table. Try to convince them to make a pledge to advance the Kingdom of God in some way before the end of this year. If you want to make note of your progress and shoot me an e-mail about it, knock yourself out. I'll be curious to see if even one person actually does this.

And in case if you’re still feeling hesitant, here’s one of my favorite verses:

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" – Psalm 56: 3-4


The future is waiting to see what we do next. Let's get to it!

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