Politics... And Jesus Of Course

I wanted to write about anything but politics but cannot seem to leave such a gaping hole.

I'll try to be brief.  (Like that has ever happened...)

I am often amazed at just how many intelligent and kind people are in my life.  It is overwhelming.  Sometimes I think the second best thing about my wedding (or my funeral) someday will be getting all those people in the same room.

These same people are EVERYWHERE on the political spectrum, and one of the greatest gifts of my life is having the opportunity to listen to people, really listen to people.  If we only surround ourselves with people who think like us, we lose the opportunity to grow, to challenge our assumptions, to deepen our understanding.  I do not agree with all of the opinions and choices they made in regards to the election, but I can at least see how an intelligent and kind person could vote the way they did.  I can understand why a follower of Jesus could vote the way they did in their best attempt to honor God.

So I dare myself and each person reading this to do more listening this week than talking.

...
But I want to offer some caution to my Christian friends and family because of what I keep seeing and hearing.  Sometimes in an attempt to rationalize our vote for Trump or Clinton, we tend to minimize or ignore or refuse to believe what a person has done, said, and lied about.  In our personal lives we know that what a person does and says without remorse is a window to their character and who and what they care about.  Christians- Trump is not your man.  And Clinton is not your woman.  Most of us would agree to that, but in an attempt to defend yourself or speak against a candidate, do not make the other into a saint or a champion for what we stand for.  That is foolishness, and it communicates to the world that the message of the Church is opposite to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Neither person stands for us.  Why does this matter?  Because the world looks at the Christian to see if we indeed follow Christ.

I mourned this week with those who mourn, but I would have mourned regardless of the outcome.  I have been mourning since the start of this year.  America, we were once masquerading as a Christian nation, but the mask has come off.  We have reaped what we have sown, and this year has shown how ugly things are.  So much uglier than I had ever thought and so much deeper than a mere presidential election.  But I thank God still for my home and pray that we will repent as a people and seek God and unity.  Though human efforts, human governments, princes and presidents will fail us, God is the everlasting God and he will never fail us.

God bless America, please.