Our Responsibility

There are less than 30 days until the election and you can't turn on the TV, look through the newspaper or receive an e-mail without getting something on the election or some new folklore e-mail about the candidates.

I am often amused and amazed at the fervor that politics wage among people and specifically among Christians.  We seem to really get our back up when we perceive that the political landscape may shift in a way that is contrary to the traditional church leanings and therefore we amp up the rhetoric and talk about the importance of getting the right guy in office.

Is this really what we have been reduced to as a church, as followers of Christ, as a community of believers?  Do we really believe that our country or the world hangs in the balance depending on who we get in office? Don't get me wrong, I believe it is important to be active in our communities and hold our elected officials to a moral and ethical standard, but to hear the sounds of some from the church you would think that we are facing certain doom if the "wrong guy" gets elected.

I think first that we as believers would do ourselves well to understand what we think is right at an individual level may not be what our other brothers and sisters in Christ believe and that's OK.  I think often we assume to much and adopt the thought that if you are a Christian, you just have to think this way.  Not so!  I have encountered many people who are followers of Christ with differing views and opinions and I am glad for that as we can have great discussion and sharing of ideas and find diversity in the body of Christ.

Secondly and back the the questions I asked previous, I believe that in large part the western church has abdicated responsibility and our calling to the government.  We have fallen asleep and become gluttons to our society and instead of feeding the poor, ministering to the widow, serving the needy, bringing the light of Jesus's love to those who need it most (the sick, the poor, the homosexual, the hurting woman seeking an abortion etc.) we have fixed our gaze on getting the right person to elected office and sit back and wait for things to change.  

This is not what we are called to do as believers, not even close.  I shared this view with a friend of mine a few weeks ago regarding the issue of abortion and in the response were the words "you are so idealistic!"  Really?  The love of Jesus coupled with social justice is idealism?  News to me!  I thought this was what we were commanded to do by the Messiah Himself?  

Imagine if we as a body of believers spent as much time and energy of loving the unlovely, serving the needy, ministering to the poor, consoling the woman who is considering an abortion, befriending the friendless and loving our neighbor, what would change then?  What would the love of Christ do for our nation, for our communities, for our neighborhoods and even our churches?  A whole lot more than any politician or political action group that is for sure.

The election is important, but it is not vital and surely is not our calling.  I for one choose being idealistic!