Politics
I am going to mention something that up to now I have not and that is politics. Over the last few years, we have seen a political campaign and an election, followed by a new President coming to lead our nation in America. At first, it seemed there was a lot of good feelings for this man, but now his popularity has been sinking. People are upset that so much money has been spent and so little has come out of it that is good. Also, it seems that this President is interested in big government and not in making small and mid size businesses more competitive. He wouldn't know anything about that since he has never led a big or mid size company in any way, but that is not my point. What I am getting at, is what should my response be as a christian to politics and to what Obama and Congress are doing? Or is there any response at all?
When we look back at Jesus and his words, we see that Jesus actually appeared to say little about the government of his day. The Romans ruled over the Jews in his time, yet he never directly speaks about Herod or Pilate or Caesar. With the exception of one statement when they were trying to trick Jesus you would see him avoiding the subject more than directly speaking about any ruler or leader. Is this simply avoidance on the part of the writers or did this actually happen? The one word by the way that Jesus did say is in Luke 20:25 "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."
I don't believe that Jesus would be bashing Obama any more than bashing Clinton or Bush. I don't think that God is a republican or democrat. But, do we have a responsibility to those who we elect to office? Yes, I believe we do. What is our responsibility and what is theirs. First, I think we have a responsibility to pray for our leaders. They have a complicated and hard job. It is difficult to pass laws and to get people to agree on courses of actions sometimes. If you think some of the decisions made recently have been stupid then let me ask you: How long have you prayed that God would give Obama wisdom in decisions?
The second thing is that we have a right and ability to have our say. On their side of things, I think they have the responsibility to be honest with how they vote and why. I can influence for the good my officials by talking to them. I can pick up a phone and tell them what is wrong. I can send a letter and ask them to do something I feel strongly about. I admit I have not done this many times on a local or state level with one exception when they recently changed laws effecting mental health, then I did get on the phone and send a letter. I can sign a petition or I can vote them out of office if I don't like what they are doing. What I should not do, is to act as though what they are doing is not important or to bury my head in the sand and ignore them. That is how people like Hitler came to power because people gave their authority away.
The third thing is, that some of the choices that politicians make really are moral choices. I'm going to say something that isn't popular here, but is it right to extend unemployment benefits indefinitely and enable people to sit at home and get a paycheck or should I require people to get off their butts and work? Should I ask them to look for work? Since when is it a good idea to enable people to be lazy? I'm not saying that there should be no help at all for people looking for work. That is a moral and ethical decision and not just a political one. That is just one issue among many that have moral and ethical implications that I should think about as believers. Many of our decisions today from immigration reform to abortion and civil rights have their answers in the Bible. I think as a christian, I should be enabling people for good and not for laziness or dependence. I think as a believer, I am suppose to let my light shine and to tell people what God's word says and not to just silently go along with what is popular.
The fourth thing that i will say is that for all the good that is going on here we should remember that our focus as believers is always God's kingdom and His righteousness. This is where our true citizenship is, it is in heaven. Our world is sometimes great and often good, but it is not the end. As Daniel saw in his vision of the great kingdoms on earth, one day they will all pass away, but God's kingdom will never pass away. I need to be kingdom focused and be storing up treasures in heaven and not just in the bank down the street.
Matthew 6:33;
When we look back at Jesus and his words, we see that Jesus actually appeared to say little about the government of his day. The Romans ruled over the Jews in his time, yet he never directly speaks about Herod or Pilate or Caesar. With the exception of one statement when they were trying to trick Jesus you would see him avoiding the subject more than directly speaking about any ruler or leader. Is this simply avoidance on the part of the writers or did this actually happen? The one word by the way that Jesus did say is in Luke 20:25 "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."
I don't believe that Jesus would be bashing Obama any more than bashing Clinton or Bush. I don't think that God is a republican or democrat. But, do we have a responsibility to those who we elect to office? Yes, I believe we do. What is our responsibility and what is theirs. First, I think we have a responsibility to pray for our leaders. They have a complicated and hard job. It is difficult to pass laws and to get people to agree on courses of actions sometimes. If you think some of the decisions made recently have been stupid then let me ask you: How long have you prayed that God would give Obama wisdom in decisions?
The second thing is that we have a right and ability to have our say. On their side of things, I think they have the responsibility to be honest with how they vote and why. I can influence for the good my officials by talking to them. I can pick up a phone and tell them what is wrong. I can send a letter and ask them to do something I feel strongly about. I admit I have not done this many times on a local or state level with one exception when they recently changed laws effecting mental health, then I did get on the phone and send a letter. I can sign a petition or I can vote them out of office if I don't like what they are doing. What I should not do, is to act as though what they are doing is not important or to bury my head in the sand and ignore them. That is how people like Hitler came to power because people gave their authority away.
The third thing is, that some of the choices that politicians make really are moral choices. I'm going to say something that isn't popular here, but is it right to extend unemployment benefits indefinitely and enable people to sit at home and get a paycheck or should I require people to get off their butts and work? Should I ask them to look for work? Since when is it a good idea to enable people to be lazy? I'm not saying that there should be no help at all for people looking for work. That is a moral and ethical decision and not just a political one. That is just one issue among many that have moral and ethical implications that I should think about as believers. Many of our decisions today from immigration reform to abortion and civil rights have their answers in the Bible. I think as a christian, I should be enabling people for good and not for laziness or dependence. I think as a believer, I am suppose to let my light shine and to tell people what God's word says and not to just silently go along with what is popular.
The fourth thing that i will say is that for all the good that is going on here we should remember that our focus as believers is always God's kingdom and His righteousness. This is where our true citizenship is, it is in heaven. Our world is sometimes great and often good, but it is not the end. As Daniel saw in his vision of the great kingdoms on earth, one day they will all pass away, but God's kingdom will never pass away. I need to be kingdom focused and be storing up treasures in heaven and not just in the bank down the street.
Matthew 6:33;
