RUN!!! Janie's Talking About Politics Again!
Did you look outside last night and see the blue moon? Well, neither did I, so I'm not really sure how to explain the fact that I'm about to write ...
A POLITICAL POST!
GASP!
SHOCK!
AWE!
And general astonishment.
Anyway, I don't get involved in politics that much. Mostly because, whenever I do, my heart-rate spikes, my love for the rest of humanity pretty much disappears, and I feel an almost-overwhelming urge to hit something. There's nothing like politics to bring out the worst in everyone.
And really, that's what this post is all about.
I wonder why politics seem to turn the vast majority of us into intolerant, narrow-minded, mud-slinging three-year-olds?
Conservative Christians seem to be some of the very worst, and I used to merrily join in with all the name-calling and blatant disrespect. Then God very graciously whammed me over the head with some of the following verses:
'Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God's will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. As God's slaves, live as free people, but don't use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.' (I Peter 2: 13-17 HCSB)
'Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your own good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Rom. 13: 1-7 HCSB)
These passages weren't written to Christians living under just, godly leadership. Nope! They were written to believers suffering persecution under a corrupt pagan government. And yet, we think it's okay to label our President with impolite nicknames and speak in a derogatory way about him and the rest of our government? Umm...where exactly do we find Biblical justification for that? It's disrespectful, and it's just plain childish.
I disagree with a lot of Obama's policies and decisions. I didn't vote him into office, and I did my best to vote him out of it in the recent election. But, the fact remains, that he's the President. I can use my rights of voting and free speech to disagree with him, but I will do it in a mature, respectful, Christ-honoring way, or I won't do it at all.
Our political world seems to be full of people whose concept of 'leadership' is sadly askew. That's pretty understandable. They don't have a lot good standards to measure themselves by. But come on, Christians! Let's show them a different way! We may not get very far. We may be laughed into silence. But I'd rather be sidelined for my mature, Christ-honoring speech than join in the childish war of words that's dragging the poor shreds of our national dignity through the mud.
____________________
What say you?
A POLITICAL POST!
GASP!
SHOCK!
AWE!
And general astonishment.
Anyway, I don't get involved in politics that much. Mostly because, whenever I do, my heart-rate spikes, my love for the rest of humanity pretty much disappears, and I feel an almost-overwhelming urge to hit something. There's nothing like politics to bring out the worst in everyone.
And really, that's what this post is all about.
I wonder why politics seem to turn the vast majority of us into intolerant, narrow-minded, mud-slinging three-year-olds?
Conservative Christians seem to be some of the very worst, and I used to merrily join in with all the name-calling and blatant disrespect. Then God very graciously whammed me over the head with some of the following verses:
'Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God's will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. As God's slaves, live as free people, but don't use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.' (I Peter 2: 13-17 HCSB)
'Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your own good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Rom. 13: 1-7 HCSB)
These passages weren't written to Christians living under just, godly leadership. Nope! They were written to believers suffering persecution under a corrupt pagan government. And yet, we think it's okay to label our President with impolite nicknames and speak in a derogatory way about him and the rest of our government? Umm...where exactly do we find Biblical justification for that? It's disrespectful, and it's just plain childish.
I disagree with a lot of Obama's policies and decisions. I didn't vote him into office, and I did my best to vote him out of it in the recent election. But, the fact remains, that he's the President. I can use my rights of voting and free speech to disagree with him, but I will do it in a mature, respectful, Christ-honoring way, or I won't do it at all.
Our political world seems to be full of people whose concept of 'leadership' is sadly askew. That's pretty understandable. They don't have a lot good standards to measure themselves by. But come on, Christians! Let's show them a different way! We may not get very far. We may be laughed into silence. But I'd rather be sidelined for my mature, Christ-honoring speech than join in the childish war of words that's dragging the poor shreds of our national dignity through the mud.
____________________
What say you?
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