Caution: Tank-Sized Soapbox Heading Due Right

This blog may make you uncomfortable, defensive, offended, or angry. My intention is not to divide--there has been quite enough of that. My intention is to exhort and, if I may, stir the pot.

For last last couple of years, I have sat and listened to a seemingly endless litany of slander, malice, and gossip. And the worst part is that the majority of it has been from Christians. I have heard President Elect Obama called, by my friends, family, politicians, and public figures, everything from a terrorist to a socialist to the Antichrist. Mr. Obama is not my friend. I have never met him. I know about him, but I don't know him. I do, however, know this: God made him. That is knowledge enough, my friends, to know that you, as a follower of Christ, have no business sending the emails, Facebook status updates, and conversational snippets that you do. I am not defending Mr. Obama--he is a grown man and can defend himself quite well should he feel the need. I am, however, expressing my disappointment in several members of Christ's body. In addition to the horrific statements made about him, Christians seem to be tearing each other apart. There seems to be a rift that is widening between the two camps, and this, brothers and sisters, is not okay. We are supposed to be examples of truth and goodness, not the divided proponents of a Christian civil war.

This is by no means a blanket statement. Additionally, informed political debate, complete with disagreements, is healthy and good. But there is a difference between discussion and warfare. There are many who have expressed disappointment in the loss of their candidate along with a sincere desire to pray for Mr. Obama and move forward with their lives. That is, I believe, the appropriate biblical response. The following is what I believe the Bible has to say.

Protection of marriage. The Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is morally unacceptable (1 Cor. 6:9). That said, whose responsibility is it to ensure that our children know that? The government's? No. It's ours. WE are the ones in charge of our children's moral and spiritual education. WE are the ones who are supposed to teach our children that marriage is between a man and a woman. And while prop 8 passed, you should remember that even if it didn't, even if gay marriage stayed legal (which, by the way, is still a possibility), the responsibility to teach our children what the Bible says about marriage is still ours. Whatever the law of California says, God's law still trumps it. And the choice to follow God's law is still in the hands of each individual. Just because gay marriage is legal doesn't mean you have to be gay. Just because abortion is legal doesn't mean you have to go out and have one. Marriage doesn't need to be protected by you. God has the power to keep it sacred, no matter what the law of the land is. On a similar note, 1 Corinthians includes a number of other things in its list of offenses, including sex outside of marriage. There has never been a law against that, but you don't see people spending billions of dollars to protect marriage from unmarried kids having sex. There is no law against adultery, but again, you don't see people all up in arms to protect marriage from cheaters. And in God's eyes, all three violations are the same. So if you are going to be vehemently and passionately preaching against one, you need to stand on your soapbox for the rest, too.

The destruction of the American church and the republic. Do you really believe that ONE MAN can bring about the complete downfall of a nation that has existed and thrived for over 200 years? Do you really think that in four years ONE MAN will really make this country so unsafe and immoral? That the millions of Christians in this country would allow him to bring about the systematic deconstruction of the American church? That the fate of our nation, our children, is in the hands of this ONE MAN, and that he will, in FOUR YEARS, make this country so irrevocably damaged? Let's be rational. And again, let's see what the Bible has to say. 2 Chronicles describes the invasion of Judah by the Assyrian army. In response to the fear of his subjects, King Hezekiah says "'Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.'" (2 Ch. 32:7-8) God is not a Republican. He is not a member of any political party. But if YOU are a Republican, and you are feeling defeated, and you are afraid, don't forget: God is in control. And you've read the ending. God wins. So even if Mr. Obama is the worst president this country has ever seen (which I don't believe), GOD STILL WINS. So stop being so afraid. God is bigger than any president will ever be. God allowed Mr. Obama to be elected. God will not forsake his children. He's not going to abandon his kids because the president of the United States is pro-choice. He will still be your God, and he will still take care of you.

Finally, here is what I believe the Bible has to say about appropriate and inappropriate reactions to the current state of the union (this part may sting a little):

"Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matt. 12:34-37)

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you towards repentance?" (Rom. 2:1-4)

"If you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth--you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?" (Rom. 2: 17-21)

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (Phil. 4:8)



If you are unhappy with yesterday's results, do something about it. Pray. Go out and be a light in a dark place; don't make it darker.