Tag Archives: Politics

Chapter-a-Day

Damage Control

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I will be careful to live a blameless life—
    when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
    in my own home.
Psalm 101:2 (NLT)

Politics has always been a dirty business. Things have not changed in the nearly 3000 years since King David penned the lyric to this song. As I began to read the lyrics I was initially impressed. David is making several declaratory statements about who he is and what he stands for. Click on the link to the psalm above and count the number of times “I will” appears. At first I was intrigued and impressed at the statements, and then I get to the last line:

My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked
    and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

It was then that it struck me. Psalm 101 is a campaign commercial.

It’s morning in Jerusalem.
Hope. Change. Forward.

This psalm is a set of idyllic promises that only the Son of God could meet. Scholars muse that the song may have been written as David took over the tenuous united kingdom of Israel which, in middle-eastern style reminiscent of today’s headlines, had two major factions and several smaller tribal factions threatening his power. They think it might be David’s inaugural address, if you will. Everything is looking up. Everyone is excited. It’s a political honeymoon for the golden boy, the shepherd turned warrior, the national hero turned monarch. David steps into the spotlight and declares that his reign will be the ideal. He will be different than his maniacal predecessor. It fits. I get it.

Perhaps I’m cynical when it comes to politics, but as I read it over in light of the last verse I wondered if the psalm might have served a completely different purpose. Fast forward about twenty years after David’s idyllic inaugural. His life is falling apart. His own home is fractured. He is beset by multiple scandals in his personal life and administration. In almost Shakespearean fashion, David’s own son is leading a bloody coup against him. We are a far cry from the hope and glory of his early days.

It leads me to wonder. Could this psalm have been a way of publicizing his repentance and spinning his way out of the public scandals that threatened his reign. It’s damage control. You can almost hear the political consultants whispering in David’s ear:

“David. Your majesty. I know it looks bad but you’ve got to go back to what made you popular in the first place. Write a song. Get back onto the Billboard charts. People loved your rock star image. You’re not too old. Think Elvis in Vegas. The big comeback. You gotta make the people fall in love with you again.”

Today, I am thinking about my own cynicism. Whether you want to think of this song as an inaugural address or as damage control, it reminds me of the inescapable truth that we are a fallen people. All of us fall short. We want the ideal. We want to believe that the ideal is attainable in our leaders and in ourselves. We fall for the idyllic campaign promises only to be grossly disappointed. Then we start the cycle all over again.

But the truth is that my own life reads like David’s on a smaller, less public scale. I’m no different. I’ve made countless declarations to which I’ve fallen short. We all fail, disappoint, and fall short.

We don’t need a politician. We need a savior.

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Chapter-a-Day

My Liege

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kingdom workThe Lord is king!
    Let the earth rejoice!
    Let the farthest coastlands be glad.
Psalm 97:1 (NLT)

Over the past weekend Wendy and I discussed the changes we’ve seen in our federal government. This is not a political blog and I choose not to go on political rants. The core of Wendy’s and my discussion was the selfishness and self-centered attitude of politicians on both sides of the isle. Of politicians anywhere, really. When you have elected representatives whose top priority is to look out for their own personal interests, political power, and re-election then the system ultimately doesn’t work. You can create all sorts of rules of checks and balances, but if those who are supposed to be accountable to those checks and balances have the power to change the rules to further their own ends, then the checks and balances are all smoke and mirrors.

Back in college a friend of mine from Zimbabwe and I engaged in a long discussion about which is the best political system. He was a socialist. I defended our representative republic. After long, spirited conversation that meandered across many shared shifts in the college food service department, we both concluded that no system of government works when you have sinful, selfish, corrupt individuals in positions of political power.  And, since we both were Jesus followers and believed that everyone is ultimately sinful and power corrupts, we concluded that no form of human government is perfect because human beings are not perfect.

I thought of these things when I read the opening lyric to Psalm 97 this morning. The people of Israel tried to create an earthly theocracy. In ancient times they saw God as their king and everyone submitted to God, the Levitical priests, a loose system of judges, and the law of Moses. But, that didn’t work either since there were human priests and judges who were corrupt and the people regularly gave only passing lip service to God. Nevertheless, the idea of God as monarch has continued to be a theme throughout God’s Message. The end vision of Revelation is Jesus on the throne ruling for eternity.

Jesus talked all the time about the Kingdom of God. God’s Message tells those of us who follow Jesus that we are ultimately citizens of that Kingdom. No matter what earthly country we live in and no matter what system of government we abide under, we are eternally subjects of a divine King to whom we answer and are called to be obedient.

Chapter-a-Day

Truth Amidst the Noise

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Sarah Ross Photography via Flickr
Sarah Ross Photography via Flickr

Your prophets have said
    so many foolish things, false to the core.
They did not save you from exile
    by pointing out your sins.
Instead, they painted false pictures,
    filling you with false hope.
Lamentations 2:14 (NLT)

When I read about the ancient prophets telling people what they wanted to hear, I can’t help but think of the talking heads I find on every news channel and Sunday morning political talk show. I have gone on record saying that I find myself watching less and less of the news channels and news programs these days. The spinning and distortion of facts to defend untenable political positions happens on every side of the political isle. Whether a socialist regime, a tyrant, a dictatorship, a monarchy, a commonwealth or a representative republic, politics is filled with people who are vying for and clinging to power and all the personal gain it creates.

It was no different in Jeremiah’s day. The story of Jeremiah is a story of Shakespearean proportions. Jeremiah went to great lengths to warn the people of Jerusalem, including the king, that Babylon was coming. He urged the king and people to wake up from their spiritual slumber and repent. Yet Jeremiah stood alone against a host of prophets who spun and distorted the facts to solidify their personal standing and to tell the king and the public what they wanted to hear: everything is okay. Jeremiah was hated, publicly humiliated, persecuted, tortured and imprisoned for speaking the truth. The book of Lamentations is one of the most tragic “I told you so”s in history.

As I progress in my journey I find myself caring more about and concerning myself more with what is really true, and less about political opinions and social rhetoric. Finding what is true amidst the noise of media blasting at us 24/7/365 can be a daunting task. I often feel like a spinning compass seeking true north. To find it, I try to identify nuggets of truth to guide my thoughts.

If you keep going deeper in debt spending money you don’t have, at some point you face financial ruin. That’s true.

Since the beginning of time evil people have done evil things, and when they gain power they do evil things on a grand scale. Evil is not going away. That’s true.

Jesus said there are just two commandments. Love God. Love people. That’s true.

 

I can make a difference, even a small one, in the lives of people with whom I interact today through simple acts of kindness, love, grace and forgiveness. That’s true.

 

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Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day 1 Peter 2

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Free speech doesn't mean careless talk^ - NARA...
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So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 1 Peter  2:1 (NLT)

For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. 1 Peter 2:13-14 (NLT)

We are just a few weeks away from the presidential election as I write this post. The political attack ads and vitriol is getting turned up to excessive levels. I observe that there is not only a viciousness in the paid-for advertisements but also in the supposedly objective media outlets as well as in the casual political conversations on the streets and in the coffee shops. As I picked up the Wall Street Journal while making my coffee this morning, the banner at the top read “Why are We So Rude Online?”

Sometimes as I’m reading a chapter my heart or brain will be a connection between two different thoughts at different places within the text. So it was this morning that a connection was made between the command to rid ourselves of “unkind speech” and to “respect all human authority.” I felt a gentle prod in my spirit with regard to political conversation.

I am so blessed to live in a country where free speech is held as a God given right. I believe that political discourse and debate is a healthy thing and it’s at the foundation of a democratic form of government. What I tire of is not the discourse but the discourtesy. It’s not the debate that I mind but the demeaning jokes and dishonoring insults lofted from all sides towards those who are of a different political bent.

Today, I’m reminded to guard my heart, mind and mouth as it relates to political conversations. I have no problem being honestly critical of leaders and their policies. I don’t thing it’s wrong to disagree with others on political matters. It’s part of the debate that is necessary in a country that has freely elected officials. What I am convicted of this morning is to make sure that my criticism and anger towards those with whom I disagree about temporal, earthly politics does not become dishonoring and unkind. I am, more importantly, a citizen of an eternal, heavenly Kingdom calling me to always be gentle, kind and gracious in my conversation.

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Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Hosea 9

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Coffee & Newspaper
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My God will reject the people of Israel
    because they will not listen or obey.
They will be wanderers,
    homeless among the nations.
Hosea 9:17 (NLT)

My morning routine is pretty well set. I get out of bed. I stagger to the front door and get our copy of The Wall Street Journal out of the mail slot. I go to the kitchen to make a big cup of caffeinated coffee and a small pot of decaf. Then I peruse the headlines while I wait for the coffee. When the coffee is finished I head upstairs to my office to have my quiet time and write this post.

How interesting that one of the banner headlines this morning was the controversy surrounding the support of Jerusalem as the capitol city of Israel. In the chapter this morning, Hosea’s prophecy was that God’s punishment for Israel’s idolatry was that they would be “wanderers, homeless among the nations.” They were. For well over two thousand years, their identity was as a scattered nation and peoples.

I hear arguments back and forth and on different sides regarding how a follower of Jesus should politically stand towards modern day Israel. This is not a forum for political rhetoric. I only know that I find it fascinating that these ancient prophetic texts from God’s Message are linked to today’s headlines. It is a reminder to me of what I’ve come to firmly believe: that God is working out a grand plan of His eternal design. Those who follow understand that, even in a small but significant way, we are a part of that plan.

I’m excited to watch it unfold as I quietly live out God’s plan for me; As I go through my morning routine, read the headlines, and walk through God’s Message a chapter-a-day.

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Luke 20

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The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them. Luke 20:19 (MSG)

I thought it ironic when I read this verse this morning. On the morning news I heard stories of politicians here in the states who were grandstanding against an appropriation bill that contained billions of dollars in pork barrell spending projects. Those who were grandstanding against it were the same ones who pushed their own pork barrell projects to be included a few months ago, before the mid-term elections revealed how angry the public was with congress.

[sigh] There is nothing new under the sun.

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Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Amos 2

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Negative campaigning
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God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Israel —make that four—I’m not putting up with them any longer.
They buy and sell upstanding people. People for them are only things—ways of making money. They’d sell a poor man for a pair of shoes. Amos 2:6 (MSG)

Today is election day, and I’m relieved to not have the endless political attack ads running 24/7. It’s amazing the depth to which these negative ads sink, on both sides of the aisle. In fact, I find it sad how low the level of discourse sinks. We don’t like what others think or believe, so we generlize them, objectify them, and slap on a label. That way, we can speak arrogantly, disdainfully, and feel no guilt or shame. We’ve reduced them to “things” just like the people of Israel in Amos’ prophecy.

By contrast, Jesus told us to love our enemies, even our political enemies, and bless those who run attack ads against us, make snide jokes about us, write mean and outrageous things about us. I may not agree with a person’s political views, but they are still a person of intrinsic value and worth. Jesus died for them, too.

God, help me today to love and bless those with whom I disagree.

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Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Isaiah 19

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Chuck Colson On that Day, there will be a highway all the way from Egypt to Assyria: Assyrians will have free range in Egypt and Egyptians in Assyria. No longer rivals, they'll worship together, Egyptians and Assyrians! Isaiah 19:23 (MSG)

Charles Colson is well known in Christian circles for his teaching, his writing, and his ministry through Prison Fellowship. As the years go by, fewer and fewer people remember his incredible story. His life journey led to a pinnacle position among the conservative republicans and the political elite of the Nixon administration. Then came a rapid, deep descent he did not foresee. Colson was the first person convicted in the Watergate scandal that led to Nixon's resignation. Alone, broken, sitting in prison, Colson entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ and struck out on the path of redemption which would forever change his life and the lives of countless others.

What is often forgotten in Colson's story is the name of the person who visited him in prison and shared God's Message with him. It was not one of his political cronies. They all fled when he was convicted. His friends had also abandoned him in fear that they might be soiled by the Watergate scandal. The man who reached out to Colson was his political enemy. Harold Hughes was a liberal democrat, former governor of Iowa, and recovering alcoholic. Hughes visited Colson in prison, shared God's love with the pariah, and introduced Colson to Jesus.

Several years ago I had the opportunity to see Colson and Hughes reunited and hear them speak together. They were as opposite as opposites could be. Hughes the long-haired, liberal hippie and Colson the horn-rimmed, straight-laced conservative. I imagine that there was a lot on which the two disagreed. I was touched by watching the two of them together sharing their agreement on the single-most important truth. They were a living example of what happens when we follow Jesus' command and love our enemies.

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