Politics & Priorities

So much has been happening in the realm of politics in the last month, and I have posted on almost none of it. Instead, I have been thinking as to what the most effective way is to spread Light in the darkness of this world. Does the world need one more blog out there, decrying the actions of President Obama, of Congress?

I think most people ignore politics - or stay purposefully away from it - because they think either its not their problem, or its not their calling, or its beyond them in some way. Until very recently, probably over the last year or so, I felt the same way. One person cannot really change much, when 90 million people vote... what can I do? What does it matter?

Here is what changed for me: I thought long and hard about my relationship with Jesus Christ. Accepting Jesus as my Savior and my Lord - what, truly, does that mean?

Should I be relieved that I am not going to Hell when I die? Yes! But is that enough?
Should I be reading the Word, and praying daily? Yes! But is that enough?
Should I attend church every week? Yes! But is that enough?

We live in a day and age that says you should own no man as king. We don't understand sovereignty, or what it really means. But if I have asked Jesus to save me, if I have acknowledged Jesus as my Lord, then I am sworn into his service. My life is no longer mine, but His. If there is a thing that I can do to serve Him, either with my life or my death, then that is the thing I have been called to do. Let me put it this way:

As I asked myself if I am doing enough as Christian, I am missing the entire point. I am showing that I don't understand the oath that I swore. For me, I came to realize that I am either a Christian, or I am not. If I am trying to live 50% Christian and hold back 50% for myself and what I want to do, then I am not fulfilling my vow - living that way is no different than living as an unbeliever. Please hear my heart; I am not saying there is anything I can do to be saved, or that Christ's work done at the cross and the grave was not complete. God has saved me by grace, through faith, and I cannot work my way to heaven. But once saved, what is my calling?

I have come to realize that from the morning into the deepness of night, I am either serving Christ or striving against Him. Period. In the realm of eternity, there is no compromise, and the world is truly as black and white as anyone could ever want. The lies of the Adversary, Satan, the Deceiver, are nearly endless. He seeks to confuse everything, to twist and corrupt. But as I turn toward Absolute Truth, the Truth found only in the Creator of All Things, God Himself, I must choose: I serve the Truth, or I serve a lie. And if I serve the Truth, then I must serve the Truth in every way; for if even one small part is a lie, then I no longer serve the Truth.

This is not to say I can live a life of perfection. I fail daily and well I know it. But it speaks to my deeper motivation, that of my heart: what am I trying to accomplish with the thing that I am doing, right now?

As I sit to watch a movie, am I glorifying God in the viewing, or have I just paid to further the lies of the Adversary?
As I speak, are my words reflecting the Light within me, or am I slandering those I should be upholding? Am I speaking truth, or a lie?
As I eat my food, am I caring properly for the temple that my body now is, as the Holy Spirit dwells within me? Or am I satisfying a craving of the flesh?
As I perform each action of my day - be it working for a living, kissing my wife, surfing the Internet, using the restroom... am I serving the Lord in the manner I have sworn to do?

My life has become a wrestling match, it seems sometimes. So many of my prayers now start with "But God, I really wanted to-" or "But God, its only-" and then I think about the questions I just asked, above. And I still fail every single day. But my standard has changed; or to put it more accurately, I finally understand that my standard is a lie. I either serve the Truth of God's Standard, which He has defined in His timeless Word, the Bible - or I serve a lie. There is no neutrality, there is good and evil; all that remains between them is the choice that I must make every second of every day. And sometimes, let me tell you, it is very, very hard. But the difficulty does not change my calling; if anything, it affirms it.

And how does all this relate to politics, and current events? Because politics is just a word for the choices that our leaders are making everyday, the choices that affect us all. If the person making the choice does not believe the Truth, we will be given a lie as policy; we will be given a lie as a new law; we will be given a lie and told that it is true, because the giver dwells in the darkness and does not know the Light. As we cannot see the heart of our fellow man, we must judge their words and decisions: are they fit to lead us? Our politicians are merely reflections of ourselves. If we would change them, we must look within. We have to know what God teaches. We then have to align our beliefs with His Word. We then have to find leaders to represent us that will further God's purposes.

For as I have said here above, we either serve the Truth, or a lie. If our leaders show no interest in Truth, then we should not be surprised with what comes, but we must be prepared. We must find those for the next election cycle (2010) that will stand fast for the Truth, and we must elect them. I, for one, am tired of choosing the lesser of two evils. Let us pray for, and diligently seek, those who will make the best choices - not for us, but for the advancement of God's kingdom. And as we talk about politics, and our differences, let us speak with grace and love. We have to remember that we have been called out of the darkness of this world, but most have not been. As infinite Love has been shown to us, we must show it to others in our words and our actions.

God does have a place in politics; He should be at the forefront, and we should be following him in this area just like every other.