his week, in preparation for next Tuesday’s elections, I’ve been talking with God about the details, trying to look beyond all the hype, doing my best to discern what the candidates truly value, and asking myself who among the politicians (national, regional and local) honestly plans to serve people.
Typically, the important things God shares with me concern my personal spiritual journey, my values, my family, my behavior, my witness, my relationships, my thoughts, my plans etc. But today, via some less than subtle hints, it’s evident that God believes some of the folk who stumble across this blog could benefit from hearing a word or two from “upstairs.”
This – best I can decipher – is what God said to me about the 2012 election:
First off, tell all of them this – and for goodness sake include the Romney and Obama camps if you can possibly get their attention (now lean in, and listen closely because I’m going to whisper): I’M SICK AND TIRED OF THE HYPOCRISY!!! I’m sorry, was that a little loud?” – God
“Then – and from the depths of all I have ever tried to tell this world – check out what Jesus (my son) said; it’s a no-brainer. In fact, Jesus may possibly have addressed a couple of these issues in a little thing we like to call, THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT!!! I yelled again, didn’t I…? – God
SPEED-READING JESUS: So I took a look. Like I had any choice? And, while I recommend that each one of us carefully read the entire Matthew 5-7 selection, I’ve taken the liberty to bullet-point just a few of the remarkably relevant ideas that stood out to me:
- What God values is mercy, purity, and peace.
- Our job is not just to offer light, but to be light.
- First, work on your own righteousness.
- Be reconciled with one another. Work on your personal issues. Make relationships your priority.
- Don’t bother with promises and eloquent persuasions, what matters is simply keeping your word.
- Love your enemies.
- Give to the needy but be discrete.
- Pray, pray, and then pray some more.
- What you value tells the truth about the condition of your heart.
- Be serious about your faith; but, please, enough with the hypocrisy.
- If God’s kingdom is your first order of business, then the other stuff you worry about will find its proper place.
- Don’t judge others. Just don’t.
- Honest seekers tend to find honest answers.
- If you want to spot a false prophet, just look at the fruit that falls off their tree.
- It’s not about how loud you say, “Lord, Lord,” it’s about building your house (see yesterday’s post) on solid ground.
‘NUFF SAID: There’s more I’d like to write – always, but today I simply want to turn the spotlight on the amazing (and timely) words of Jesus.
Haven’t we seen enough commercials? Do we really need to listen to any more trash talk? Instead, I’d like to recommend a careful re-reading of Christ’s message on the mountain, and then some serious time spent in prayer.
Jesus puts things in perspective; that’s why God directed me to these passages. I feel better already – DEREK
yes, yes, yes. I, too, have been humbled by God’s word. I am leaving the election in God’s hands. Perhaps it will be a deliverence; perhaps there is more for us to learn. Like James 3 wrote: God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings……you can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. May peace reign. Jackie
Derek…I hope readers will take time as you suggest to read and then pray about their decision making process before acting on their civic duty. My thought is that regardless of which candidate(s) you support, the most important part of being an American is to make your voice heard through voting. It is our opportunity to weigh in; to support individuals who have decided to submit themselves and their families to public scrutiny through public service as well as, initiatives and causes in the public sphere.
Politics…it’s a dirty, slimy, backstabbing exercise of character assassination. Whoever escapes the vitriolic rhetoric and becomes the last candidate standing, emerges as the office holder accountable to the enitre electorate. Sometimes it’s with a mandate, sometimes it’s not. Since 2000 the nation has become split between the so-called ‘red’ states and ‘blue’ states as a result of not only Bush v. Gore decision, but because of a whole myriad of other issues and topics.
Sadly, the one important topic that has been thrown under the bus that should trump the ideological extremes and philosophies is that of the dire need for cooperation and compromise through respectful civil discourse. Until politicians and the general public alike recognize that we can’t have one party rule exclusively without the other and that compromise is not a dirty word we can’t move forward. Compromise has been and must continue to be an essential part of this nations history; to getting things accomplished, but without it we will continue to wallow in the endless bickering of gridlock that leads us no where.
So…support your candidate because you truly want that needed cooperation; support your candidate because, all though you perhaps fundamentally don’t agree with the other candidate’s philosophy, you don’t harbor ill will or disrespect him or her. Remember, these individuals, more often than not, are willingly submitting themselves to the most rigorous, most intrusive review of themselves, their families, close friends, old flames, and every day in-general acquaintences they will ever undergo. And…perhaps this is precisely why there are so few willing to take the plunge into public service…it’s too invasive, too intrusive, too disrespectful, the media too relentless and the public too hungry for emergence of any skeleton lurking in any closet they can find in order to scandalize, derail and destroy a human being.
Politics…I’ll say it again…it’s a dirty, slimy backstabbing exercise of character assassination. Next Tuesday, vote because your proud to be able to and vote because so very many have sacrificed in so very many ways for your right to,
Government(s) can indeed be a bad thing and as currently being exemplified as a result of Hurricane Sandy, it can be a good thing. Let’s all try and remember that.
Let’s all be civically responsible and respectful of whatever the outcome(s) may be and honestly, and truthfully commit to working together to move forward, gain some traction, but to also quell those elements who will put political expediency, authoritarianism and personal desire for control before the common good. And yes…make sure to discern the ‘sermon on the mount’ in your ear…undoubtedly the best and most authentic, most accurate stump speech in the world’s history.
“Then – and from the depths of all I have ever tried to tell this world – check out what Jesus (my son) said; it’s a no-brainer. In fact, Jesus may possibly have addressed a couple of these issues in a little thing we like to call, THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT!!!” – God
I think I have a blogpost! 🙂
Peace,
Ray
Yeah, you have a couple of blog posts!
Amen, Derek! Especially the hypocrisy part. (Are lies included?) – I mean, AMEN
!!!
Yes, Derek. Follow the words of Je
sus!!