Godly Politics

OK, it is the 4th of July; Our Independence Day!  Instead of rewriting  something new, I am going to recycle a part of last Sunday's sermon that I think is appropriate.  God bless you and bless our nation.

God loves all of us the same.  It doesn’t matter what party you belong to.  God loves both President Obama and Mitt Romney.  God loves George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.  God loved Reagan just as much as God loves Jimmy Carter.  God loves all of his children, and we need to act like it.

            God loved Saul even though he had strayed from God’s will.  God loved David even though he had issues with coveting other men’s wives.  God loves our President even if his decisions are not always the one God would have wanted him to make.

            So as Christians it is OK to participate in the wonderful, political freedom we have here in the US.  Our freedom to elect whom we choose, worship as we choose, and pray as we choose was won through blood and struggle, just as Saul and David fought for God’s people to be free.  As Christians we should exercise our freedom to vote.  But remember what our own church says.  No one can bind our conscience.  Our decision is between us and God.  There will be many good Christians, who have prayerfully looked at the issues, believe they are voting they way that God would want them to vote, that vote the opposite way you do.  In fact, I am sure that there will be brothers and sisters right here in our own church family that vote opposite sides of every issue.  They are still our brothers and sisters.  God loves us each the same.  God doesn’t want us hurting each other, or even mourning over something that in the long run doesn’t matter.

            Human politics will come and go.  There will be good leaders and bad leaders.  Our calling is to reflect the grace of Jesus Christ.  David reflected God’s love and grace by being sympathetic to the people’s needs, and being respectful to Saul and Jonathan’s memories.  We can reflect God’s grace by discussing issues with respect for our neighbors, praying for our leaders, and treating everyone as a beloved child of God.

            Maybe if we are grace filled and respectful, it will catch on.  Imagine a campaign season with no name calling, only respectfully discussing the issues…  It may not make as exciting television coverage, but it would help with the love and peace that God desires.