I truly dislike politics. I know a lot of Christians who would try to shame me for my apathy and uninvolvement, but as much as I attempt to muster up some enthusiasm for the candidates and issues, I cannot. People tell me it's my God-given duty to use the freedom I have in this great country and take a stand for the Lord - via the ballot, of course. But I will not.
It's not that I am politically uninformed or ignorant. I researched Amendment 26 as much as, if not a great deal more than, most people who voted today. I read articles and watched videos from both sides. I'm intelligent enough to take that information and discern what is true and what is not.
It's not that I have no opinion, either. I do, and I'll happily share it with you over a cup of coffee, in person, face to face - although I must admit, there are plenty of other things I'd rather talk to you about, like God's word, or Haiti, or downtown Jackson, or poetry. But when I speak my mind (on any issue), I want there to be no mistaking why I believe what I do. I want there to be zero room for anyone to take my words and change their intention. I want you to understand my heart.
That's the problem with politics. Politics isn't about the heart. It's about writing things down in black ink on white paper, for all the world to read and debate and dissect and amend and interpret. But it doesn't matter how many "victories" Christians in politics may have, they will never be able to change hearts.
All throughout God's word, we read about God's love of justice. We serve a just God. He has a heart full of compassion for the hopeless and helpless, for those who cannot speak or stand up for themselves - the oppressed, the widow, the orphan, the fatherless. We as Christians are called to be part of God's redemptive work by advocating on their behalf.
For this reason, it would be foolish to say that Christ-followers shouldn't be involved in politics, ever. God can certainly use Christians in the realm of politics to accomplish things for His kingdom. To me, however, it's just so delicate. We must speak truth in love, we must be careful not to let political issues divide us, we must constantly and very consciously strive to seek His will in all things and not lean on our own understanding.
Above all, we must recognize that no amount of good legislation or godly leadership can change the real issues. The real issues stem from hearts that need Jesus. Let us speak as passionately about the day of His return as we do about election day. Let us not lift up the names of candidates, but the name of our King, Jesus. In Him we trust, right?
"His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." - Daniel 7:14
Well, someone actually did read this - me. You and I have discussed this before and we have some differences, but I believe Christians should be informed, vote and get involved in some degree to the political process. Why? Because if we do not, we will be leaving it completely in the hands of unbelievers, who have then have the power to make our lives and the lives of others more difficult. I believe we need Christians active and involved in not just politics, but entertainment, the news media, and education. These areas of our culture influence people's opinions and yes, their hearts, in a powerful way. The more we as Christians can use these institutions of mankind to proclaim the love of Christ, the better. We must saturate every part of this world with Christ's love.
ReplyDeleteHowever, your concerns about politics are valid. Far too many people, including many Christians whose initial motives were Christ-centered, allow the ways and means of the world to get them off track. Rather than using their status within these institutions for the furtherance of the kingdom, they instead get caught up in the world and become ineffective and even destructive. It is important to understand that politics alone can never solve the world's problems. Only when our thoughts and actions are in submission to the mind of Christ can we use such things as politics to further the Kingdom of God. Far too many Christians who get involved in politics lose sight of this.