As the election season marches on, I'm still examining the line between being in this world and remembering what world I belong to, and I came across the blog of
Shaun Groves. He put up a post recently about a guy who lives down the street from him who has constructed a memorial, literally, to the unborn lost through abortion. Shaun expresses his temptation to ask the guy what else he's doing to protect the unborn. Point taken....how many of us who have a firm pro-life belief leave it to our politicians (our politicians!) to fix the problem by merely voting for the pro life candidate? Or maybe we go one step farther, like this guy, and carry a metaphorical picket sign telling the world where we stand. Yes, we're exercising our American right to free speech, but does that really change anything, no matter how creative the expression?
I loved one comment made on this post ~ "I have zero patience for militant pro-lifers who do nothing to help children who are already here, and who vote for politicians who make it even harder for poor single moms to raise their children." That struck a chord with me, and caused me to examine what I'm doing to confront poverty. I'm not a politican nor a militant anythng, but I am a kingdom person ~ who better qualified?
And, so the internal questioning of who is supposed to do what begins . . . what is the appropriate priority of government? What was it designed to be? God gave His people a King because they demanded it, but it was never intended to be that way....Aren't God's children supposed to rule this world through the kingdom practices of love, compassion and service regardless of what government does or doesn't do, and now that we have a king, pray for him/her? Can we expect political candidates to espouse our world view when we're promoting different kingdoms? Do we really take our cues from the President of the United States?
I feel like I'm getting somewhere now. Though there are strong arguments on both political sides, my question is changing . . . from for whom or if I should vote to a really penetrating question ~ Am I ready to step up and better assume my responsibility to love my neighbor, care for the poor and speak for those who have no voice? Regardless of which candidate wins, this remains my job, not theirs. What an opportunity for me to let the love of Jesus flow through me to the hurting, giving them not only help for their bodies but also help for their soul through a glimpse of Jesus....instead of perhaps just 'nother glimpse of Uncle Sam.
Who would have thought that a nearly two year political season could lead a foreigner to recommit to their motherland. :) Scroll all the way to the bottom of this page and vote in the poll.
