So, I was hearing the results of the election come in and was realizing that things were not going as I had hoped, I began to reflect on what that really meant to me. I struggle with the importance that elections play for a couple of reasons. On the one hand, they are extremely important in determining the direction of our nation. I, as a citizen, have the right and one could almost say, the obligation, to have my voice be heard through the election process. On the other hand, as a Christian, I think I have come to put too much importance on the election and on politics in general. Let me explain.
Our nation was founded based on Christian values and principles which believe in empowering each individual to have the freedom to live their life in a way that they choose - as long as it does not enfringe on someone else. (Poor paraphrase, I realize, but you get the idea.) As long as a large majority of people have the same values, this works pretty well. However, as the values of the people diverge, the lens by which things are evaluated begins to lose focus. As this plays out, you have two (or more) opposing value systems fighting for their rights to win the day. This happens at an individual level, a societal level and at a political level. You can readily name several issues where this plays out... abortion, gay rights/marriage, separation of church and state, etc.
As I was reflecting on all of this and studying the account of Noah in Genesis, I realized that as a Christian, I think I've been thinking about this all wrong. I get frustrated by the direction our society is going and I tend to try to fight to hold onto my values through our elected officials or scoring points in a philosophical discussion. The reason I concluded that I have been thinking about this all wrong is because of Noah. In the account of Noah, Genesis 6:5 says, "5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." However, Noah walked with the Lord. Despite all of the wickedness around him - the fact that Noah had to have been extremely frustrated that society's values were not his values - Noah walked with the Lord. And God provided for him, protected him and ultimately saved him (and his family).
Then, I recalled Micah 6:8 which says, "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God." This verse occurs right before a statement by the Lord of judgment on Israel as follows in Micah 6:9-16:
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,
with a bag of false weights?
12 Your rich people are violent;
your inhabitants are liars
and their tongues speak deceitfully.
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy you,
to ruin[d] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;
your stomach will still be empty.[e]
You will store up but save nothing,
because what you save[f] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;
you will press olives but not use the oil,
you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri
and all the practices of Ahab’s house;
you have followed their traditions.
Therefore I will give you over to ruin
and your people to derision;
you will bear the scorn of the nations.
My encouragement to each one of you is to not put your hope in a man or in men. Do not allow the election, whether the person you wanted to win did or not, dictate your hope in the future. Our hope is in the truth, not in man.
Micah 7:7 -
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
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