talking politics...sort of
I write this simply because it was on my mind. It's not a candidate endorsement. It's littered with assumptions and leaps and things left unexplained. Still, I know some will read this and say, what?...what is Steve thinking now. But I write anyway because to me, this is interesting.
Some polls have predicted that Obama will win the presidency. So let's assume he wins. Gasp! Let's also assume that we believe this:
It is God who raises up leaders and removes leaders. He gave moses, Joshua, Solomon and others prominence, credibility, and authority in the eyes of the people. For you proof texters, see Exodus 14:31; 19:9; Joshua 3:7; 4:14; 1 Chronicles 29:25
and what about this Proverb:
The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 21:1, King James
So give me the idea that God raises up leaders...and leaders for such a time as this (whatever time it might be). Let's also assume that this line of thinking could be applied to the USA presidency (a stretch in my opinion, but deal with it for now).
So let's say Obama does become president and to some degree God raised him up for such a time as this. Why?
Well here's I've been thinking. Some say Obama is a liberal socialist. I don't know anyone who says that and means it in a good way. And what about redistribution of wealth. And how about care for people...all people?
And maybe we don't agree with how Obama wants to go about each of these things and more, but. Here's the but. When I listen to the things that Obama speaks of, much of what he says seems quite similar to the things I speak about. Similar to the things I read in the Scriptures about the Kingdom of God...here, now on earth. Similar to the way I believe we are to live as followers of Jesus (I just experienced a moment of fear, thinking about what some of you are now thinking of me as you read this. So, certainly not everything fits into what I'm saying, and I'm not done writing yet, and I told you at the beginning that there would be leaps, assumptions, things left unexplained...and that I just wanted to share something).
So could it be...assuming that we here in America are living today quite far from God's hope for his people, far from his Kingdom if you will...that God has (assuming he wins) raised up Obama to give us a glimpse, well, a Kingdom model of living?
A glimpse of what it could be like. What a community could look like if we served each other. If we shared our resources. If we looked out for each other. If those that were blessed used what they had to help those that were less fortunate. If, when we saw someone in need, we didn't pass by on the other side of the street or turn our head away, but did what we could to influence the life of another human. And for all of God's creation.
Of course it's not about Obama, but about God. It's not about politics, government or Obama's policies, but about Jesus and his way of life that brings us to God. It's not about being forced to live this way as might be the case under Obama's plans, but by choosing to because we believe its right. And it's about hope, not the hope read about in Obama's book, but about the hope described in God's book. I'm just saying...wondering...could God be helping us to see through this political medium, in some small, warped way, what his Kingdom could look like?
I don't even know how I answer that, but its interesting to me...assumptions, leaps, vague explanations and all.
What do you think?
1 Comment
2:01 PM
I think this is a good jumping off point for some really interesting discussion. Conversely, I've been thinking lately about the "what ifs" of McCain winning. I am an Obama/Biden supporter and am excited to see what they will bring to our nation's executive office. And I've lived the past few weeks feeling pretty confident that they'll win it.
But, after a recent trip to Reno where I had some good talks with really close friends who I was surprised to find out were McCain/Palin supporters, I've had to start considering - what if Obama loses? Will all my hopes for our country be lost too? Is everything I'm hopeful for and excited about in the political world wrapped up in one man and his running mate? I don't want to feel robbed or devastated if McCain becomes our next president. So I have had to start considering what might be hopeful and good about a McCain/Palin administration as well. And that's been an interesting exercise that has brought me to a place of realizing, like you say here, that God loves the people he's created, and he does still have a plan that he is carrying out. I don't know whether God chooses to exercise power over who sits in the Oval Office, but I know that in the dimensions of time & space and all the others we can't comprehend, he holds sway over the direction of the human story. And so I can trust that whichever leader might be appointed, God can and does work these things for the good of those who love him.
As for the "Obama is a socialist" train of thought, I agree that the way he proposes closely resembles much of what I believe Jesus was about. Call it socialism if you want, but I'm all for redistribution of wealth to those who barely get by, for healthcare for all, for a society that recognizes the importance of opportunity for everyone and de-emphasizes the importance of capitalism and the right to excessive amounts of wealth. I'm not saying those things are bad, but I do believe we are at a point in the life of our nation where we have too long allowed greed and a twisted ideal of the "American dream" to control our culture and economy. To the point where we are now seeing its global effect in our credit crisis. If we make capitalism, the twisted "American dream," and everyone's right to be excessively wealthy an idol, the be-all-end-all of life in the USA, then we are definitely losing sight of anything that looks even remotely like the kingdom Jesus wanted us to build.
So good thoughts. Glad you're sharing these ideas, even if I have to wade through a bunch of disclaimers to get to the point. ;-) Love ya Esteban!
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