Gentle Reader,
One of my intentions for this new year is to make time to write regularly again. The workload of seminary remains an ever-present factor, but I lost a piece of myself in not publishing regularly. I allowed negative self-talk to get to me. Why should I write? I’m nobody special. Who cares what I have to say? No one. Does any of this really matter? Probably not.
Well that’s dumb.
I want to write, so I’m going to write. It’s genuinely that simple.
Kate says: time.
Go.
I posted this on Facebook earlier today:
Last night I did my best to provide space for my students to process the insurrection at the Capitol while pointing them to the hope and truth found in Christ. Just before we began to pray, one of them said, “You know, it’s pretty bad when the adults behave worse than kids.” Let that slap you as it did me. We must be and do better.
Some of you reading this believe that the election was rigged, that it was stolen from you. I can understand the kind of frustration that you must feel. I recognize our shared humanity, and your very great worth as a person who bears the imago dei. I believe that you were placed in this context, at this time, for a reason. There is work for you to do that the Lord designed for you long before you took your first breath.
Imagine me and you, sitting across the table from each other, warm beverages in our hands.
It is time to let go of the idea that this president is the savior of the nation. He is not.
It is time to let go of the idea that there is a vast conspiracy to disenfranchise you. If that were true, then your votes for other candidates with the same letter behind their name would have been rendered invalid. Think about it. Why would anyone cheat, but only just enough to eject one person from power?
It is time to let go of the idea that other people, your neighbors, are enemies. They are not.
It is time to let go of the idea that those who stormed the Capitol yesterday are heroes, in any way.
You and I can disagree on political philosophy, theology, dogs vs. cats, and Pepsi vs. Coke for the rest of our lives. What we cannot do is cling to cognitive bias, conspiracy theories, and, frankly, being sore losers. These things result in the kind of division that leads directly to violence. This is not right. This is not acceptable. This is not the way of Christ.
You don’t have to like the president-elect. I don’t like the current president. You don’t have to agree with the party that’s coming into power. I never fully agree with any political party. That’s fine. That’s okay.
What you can’t do, and what I can’t do, is drag the name of God through ever-increasing piles of unholy excrement in an attempt to hold onto temporal power.
This world is not our home. We are sojourners, pilgrims, strangers. We are supposed to be different.
And I know some of you are convinced that your right to worship God is about to be taken from you. You know what you can do regardless of what political party is in power and what laws are passed? Worship God. Nobody can actually take your faith from you. Our brothers and sisters around the world who don’t occupy privileged cultural positions are a testament to this reality.
Don’t buy into the emotionally manipulative rhetoric.
Look to Jesus.
Would Jesus fall down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory? Would Jesus storm any capitol building? Would Jesus bring bombs to a protest? Would Jesus spend His free time calling people names? Would Jesus grab a gun and try to overthrow a government?
Look to Jesus.
Stop.
I think I’m sad mostly because it’s been an awful year that we just said good-bye to because of the significant damage it has done to hardworking and honest folks just trying to eke out a living, for the thousands of people who lost their lives to Covid-19, and if I’m honest, the depth of the corruption and evil in this world. I don’t fully understand what the Lord’s plan is from here – I just know I need to go to Him and confess what’s on my heart. I know HE will make it better!
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I feel sad, too. Like I said here, people can have different opinions. That’s fine. What we’re seeing play out is not a difference of opinions. It’s people operating in different realities. That’s the best words I have for it. I’m sad, I’m angry, I’m scared, but most of all, I’m praying.
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what a good call you have laid at our feet…. Look to Jesus, Worship God. Well done.
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Thank you, sister. I think if we look to Jesus, we will discover that we (generally, broadly speaking) have been focusing on the wrong things for quite some time.
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Yes, it is time for each of us to get down on our knees and trust God, who holds all of our times in His hands.
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Get down on our knees and pray – then go and do as Christ does.
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amen. this world is NOT our home and our eyes must be to Jesus, regardless who is in power or how they got there. God alone is still sovereign. Thank you for this reminder at FMF. I was encouraged by your words.
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I’m glad you are coming away encouraged!
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The politics, they come and go,
and make me kinda tired;
the sky above, the earth below
are what keep me inspired.
I see dew sparkle on the grass,
prism-bright in morning sun,
as kingfisher give master class
in just how to have fun
by flitting low across the pond,
blue-flash, green-flash, gone!
These holy things take me beyond
those who rail and fawn,
but I wish that they might join me here,
and let their hard cares disappear.
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Beautiful, my brother. And amen.
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Girl, WRITE. #18
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Definitely getting back to it. 🙂
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You have a way with words, my friend! Somehow you manage to write my thoughts in a much more elegant version. I, too, am troubled by those who feel a man is a savior. He is not, was not, and never will be. I spoke with my students today about indoctrination–and how Hitler used it to make sensible people do senseless things. I see no difference between Trump’s machinations and Hitler’s. We are on the precipice of something horrible.
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I see the similarities as well. The difference, to me, is that this president is not the problem, but rather then end result of a problem. Too many years of partisan entrenchment, cable news discipleship, and a long history of our society being unable and/or unwilling to address the dark parts of our national story. May God help us.
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Oh Marie, these words are the cry of my heart top. Like Anita, you have captured what I’m feeling. I’m all those emotions too. Only Jesus, right?! I will be sharing this on my FB page too.
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So appreciate you sharing! May we all take a step back and ask the Lord to reveal what is true.
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We must respect the office, whether we agree with the one who holds it to not. We need to pray for them and this country. Neither the left nor the right is 100% good or bad.
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Respecting each other is very important. That is what God would have us do.
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Amen!
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you write with kindness and sensitivity and a great reminder to keep focused on where our salvation comes from
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Thank you!
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Love this. Naming, valuing, offering hope. NT Wright in his book God and the Pandemic says that the early church never resorted to conspiracy theories. They may have identified origins of pandemics, famines, and political uprising but they used their time and energy being partners of reconciliation and restoration as they served the Kingdom of God. Their allegiance to that was always the priority.
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I’ve got that book on my “to read” list. I should just get it.
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