Preaching Politics? To Avoid it is to Avoid Teaching "...All things pertaining to life and godliness..." 2 Peter 1:3

A very well known and deservedly respected Christian authority recently stated: "I've never encouraged anyone to vote Democrat or Republican. Ever.  While I believe all Christians should be active in politics, it is unwise to identify Christianity with any particular political party. If you don't see how Christianity cuts across all political ideologies, you may not see the deep problems within the one you prefer."    A link provided with the above statement noted this premise; "The historical Christian positions on social issues don't match up with contemporary political alinements."

That premise is flawed out of the gate.  Ineffable truth, in the end, is not determined by "historical Christian positions" on anything. Truth is only ever determined by the rightly divided inspired Word of God. What lies at the heart of this side-stepping nonsense is the fear of giving offense to anyone listening who may not "be there" yet with respect to the Christian faith. I understand and I sympathize. However, done appropriately, it is the shepherd's responsibility to teach ALL things to one's flock regardless of whether they are received or not. If the prophets of God in the Bible operated on this basis they would have spent the majority of their lives in silence...

Now let's get real. Here is a list--and certainly an incomplete one--of issues or ideologies in play in today's affairs. 

Sanctity of life--meaning all life is sacred and to be protected and preserved except in the situations where the Creator has stipulated [eg. capital punishment.] 

Greed--This is not identifiable by net worth but by stewardship of one's possessions

Hard work--The necessity of man working is a creation ordinance. It is the norm for mankind. It is not the responsibility of the hard working laborer to provide for the able but unwilling one who will not work. 

Compassion--Generosity by definition is a free choice of the heart, it cannot and should not be mandated by force.

Equality--Means all have been created in the image of God. It never means that everyone is guaranteed equal ability, talent, privilege, or outcome of one's efforts.

Sexual purity--Sex is a gift of God to be experienced solely within the bonds of holy matrimony with one man and one woman (as determined by genetic creation) joined until death separates.

Crime--wrong doing as prescribed by God Almighty is to be punished for the sake of the common good. (One of the greatest purposes of government is to create and enforce a system of justice that reflects God's character punishing bad and rewarding good.)

Lawfulness--Government has been endowed by God with the prerogative of establishing, enforcing and practicing godly rules and regulations which underscore the holy character of God Himself. 

Now let's get even more real: On balance, not with perfection obviously, which political affiliation supports, condones, encourages, understands, and makes decisions/laws/edicts/mandates which tend greatly towards punishing evil behavior, as defined biblically,  while rewarding good behavior as defined biblically?

One can spit into the wind, huff and puff, and snit and fume with all their might in defense of their political selection.  But at the end of the day, when the lights of the Divine are turned on in everyones' hearts the truth will be revealed and everyone will be judged according to their belief system.

Shame on pastors who do not give clear direction to those under their care warning them to flee from the wrath that is to come. 

He works in the midst of daily refuse.

This morning I grabbed my hatchet which was razor sharp as I had sharpened it after the last time I used it.  I grabbed the first piece of wood a simple, symmetrical 1"x5"X 15" piece of pine to split for kindling. I whacked off one piece and then the second one missed and took a major piece of my left index finger flapping it over.  I knew I had about 5 seconds before it would start gushing blood. In that moment I inspected the digital architecture and didn't see any bone or tendon involvement although the joint/bone was clearly visible.

Off to the ER... After the 2 hour wait, the ER Doc, a very personable man, came in and we were yucking it up. As he worked on me, I find out he lives in S.C. but comes up here 4 months a year in the winter to help out Maine. Back home he has a wife JUST Dx'd with cancer and children allowing him to do this.  

Anyway, as I am interrogating him I find out his father (now departed) was a pastor in NY and he is a believer. So we invite him over to break up the monotony of the long 4 months away from family, and I truly hope he takes us up on it. 

So the bigger point?  Would the Lord of the universe allow me, in my ineptitude, to whack my finger nearly in half for the sake of bringing us in contact with this man?  I don't know.  But here is where I am coming from, "...do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own..."  (1 Corinthians 6:19)

He is GOD; His ways are not our ways, His purposes are grander than ours, He is good whether we understand that at every turn or not.  So--YES, I am quite certain that He "could" do what I suggest and I would not put it past Him to do such a thing. Barbara and my souls were lifted up in the presence of this affable ER Doc and he seemed equally blessed.  "God works all things for good..." 

The rest of this story is yet to be written but one thing is certain; yesterday was unpleasant, and the aftermath is still playing out with discomfort, hindrance and inconvenience. But if the Lord wants to salvage a normal "day of small things" for His glory, what can we say but "Amen."