It Doesn't Matter Who You Voted For

With almost three months separating us from what was probably the most grueling political season ever, I now feel like I can take some time to reflect on it with out being sick. While much of the attention last year focused on the presidential election, many other offices were being sorted out as well. In Richmond alone, we were deciding on a new mayor, city councilperson, and school board who would then, in turn, decide on our police chief and school superintendent. Whew, no wonder I felt tired on November 5th...

With so many important offices being filled, I'm sure this election season was a mixed bag for most. You probably got some of the folks you wanted in and odds are a couple people made it in that you're not too happy about. Losing sucks in general and, when it comes to an election, people tend to salve the wound by becoming impassioned detractors of the person they didn't vote for who is now in office. Setting aside whether this behavior is constructive, it is oddly therapeutic and an important part of our democratic society.

In at least one case, the vote didn't go in the direction I wanted it to in November. I allowed myself 10 minutes to be disappointed but then I dusted myself off, knelt down, and prayed for said person. That God would bless them with wisdom and guide me in how I could support that all of our newly elected officials in achieving God's purpose through their office. In short, I would submit this - on Novement 5th and going forward, it doesn't matter who you voted for.

In a democratic society, that statement may be the political equivalent of blashphemy but I would simply ask what withholding your support for those now in office is going to achieve for the next four years. Scream and spit and snip all you want, they're in office until the next election. We can choose to obstruct to the detrement of the city and nation we love or we can choose to find common ground and offer our help on the points we agree.

Christ followers in particular are commanded to do this. In 1 Timothy 2, Paul instructs us:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

In many cases, we boil our allegence down to one issue that we either agree or disagree. When we're not downright hateful about our opposition of said elected official, Christians in particular are very good at passive-agressive hatefulness (ex. "Well I just hope he doesn't screw things up too badly..."). Beyond one person in a particular office, we're also commanded to seek the good of the land that we're in:

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. - Jeremiah 29:7

So Christians really have no excuse for sitting on the sidelines and complaining when the person we want in office isn't. We should love our country and our city enough to find common ground and seek God's will there. There is too much need and too much injustice for there not to be some issue we can agree on. Lets involve ourselves there, putting away hatefulness and divisivness, we can be what God calls us to be - positive forces of mercy and generosity in our world. God is not glorified by our complaining, as a Church, lets be about something more positive in 2009 and going forward.

Who's Hope is it?

On the heels of Barak Obama's inauguration, I feel a certain weighty inspiration. Here is a man that appeals to our ideals of hope. Agree or disagree with his specific stances on issues, but hope is universal because it springs from our God and it was Jesus' message, His Good News, before it was anyone elses.

There was one particular part of our President's speech today that captured me because I feel like its a message the Church could take to heart in the era of transition we find ourselves collectively in.

...They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint...

The Church for too long has enjoyed a season of Power and has operated in the world under that mode. The consequence is a culture that rejects us because the Gospel is not a message about power. The Gospel is a message about justness, humility, and restraint (more on this in a future post).

Earlier in his speech, President Obama said that the world has changed and so should we. He meant the country but I think its a message for the Church as well. We shouldn't fear change as if the Gospel will be altered in the process. And we shouldn't see change as merely packaging. If the Gospel is timeless, it will find context in our current time. In these changing times, we will contexts shift but our Gospel of Hope remain the same. As I said, before Hope was Barack Obama's message, it was God's. As followers of Christ, we should be a people inspired by Jesus' message of Hope and Change. To those that carry that banner, I look forward to joining with you...