Sound and fury, signifying nothing!

 

God continues to stir my heart in the way of the political atmosphere that swirls overhead in our country.  It stirs in disagreement with pretty much everything that I hear and see coming from either side of the aisle.  Often, it’s much less about political standing on important issues like tax reform, deficit reduction (if they’ve ever heard of such a thing), immigration policy, or international relations.  Instead, it’s simply about having common sense and treating other humans as just that. . .humans.

I am reminded of possibly my favorite story from Jesus’ time on the earth, found in John 4.

It is the story of the Samaritan woman, drawing water from the well in the middle of the day.  There are lots of reasons that Jesus shouldn’t associate with her.  At least, if Jesus were like most of us.  She’s such an outcast, she has to go draw her water in the scorching heat of midday, alone, instead of in the early morning hours when others likely gathered there.

And it isn’t that Jesus doesn’t know about her.  In fact, once she pushes him, Jesus tells her about her five failed marriages and current extramarital relationship she finds herself in.  Certainly someone we would look down our nose at, no doubt.

There are a myriad of lessons to be learned through this encounter – and I seem to find a new one each time I read through it.  This time, it’s staring me right in the face and arouses emotions about our current national climate – shame, anger, and even fear – especially in regards to the individuals we have charged with leadership.

 

The fact that someone like President Trump is allowed to act like a ten-year old through his Twitter account is the least of our worries, I think (oddly enough).  Even when a political candidate like Roy Moore can stand, unashamed and unabated, in the face of an embarrassing and grotesque allegation, I think we still are not at the heart of our issue.

The issue instead is with the fact that those that profess to love Christ defend both of them with stalwart support.  It’s as if making sure that the town, the district, the state, or the electoral college remain colored “red” for the party is paramount to doing what Christ would actually do.  I think the Christ that I know would make sure that. . .

. . people, humans, are treated with respect and with dignity.

. . the poor are cared for.

. . the orphaned have a home.

. . the hungry are fed.

 

I’ll be happy when we listen to the voices of America’s past:

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
– part of the inscription on the Statue of Liberty

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal”
– Declaration of Independence

“Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulty.”
– Abraham Lincoln, 1st inaugural address

 

Instead of patience, benevolence, and genuine concern for mankind; we get perpetual narcissism.

I have seen a few that seem to strike the right chord with my way of thinking, but have to be at least somewhat anti-establishment to do so.  Sen. Jeff Flake (AZ), Sen. Bob Corker (TN), and candidate for Senate in Michigan, John James fit my current bill.  Conservative voices, but not sold out to the party that has evolved into one that is more and more exclusionary, especially of those that need us the most.

One day, should God continue to stir me into service by running for office one day, I won’t need a party that cares more about taking care of its own.  I will need supporters that care about the conservative, Christian values that shaped our nation in the first place.

 

Back to the Samaritan woman.  She was thirsty, hence the bucket.  But, Christ knew she thirsted for more than the water the earth can provide.

Don’t be distracted by noise created by those currently in power.  Stop trying to fill that place in our heart that was created only for the God of the Universe with everything but Him.  And, don’t get caught in the wave of hatred and exclusion.

Jesus came to save the world – all of it.  Not just the ones that look, vote, and think like you do.
“If I speak all human or angelic languages, but do not have love; I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal.”
– 1 Corinthians 13:1