The Lying and the Lamb
I’ve been warned many a time that the moment I post something remotely political, I’m going to get judged REALLY hard. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Oh, no, I’m not brave enough for politics.” However, considering what’s been happening in the USA for the last few months, I figured I’d address something about it.
We’ve had a lot of division lately. Democrats versus Republicans. Liberals versus Conservatives. Us versus Them. So many issues, so many sides, and all defined by so much animosity. It’s been tough to keep up with one sensitive topic before another one rears its ugly head.
Normally, when election year comes around, I’m very neutral when it comes to political parties. Instead of aligning myself with a particular side, I look at what each side is promoting before I make a decision. Sometimes it’s Republican, sometimes it’s Democrat.
This year was slightly different. There was so much strife, mudslinging, and blatant dishonesty, that I couldn’t quite tell who was endorsing what. It all got buried under the social unrest. For the first time since I could start voting, I chose based on how a candidate behaved, who they were as a person, instead of what policies they pushed.
Many people tend to overlook this issue, a person’s morals instead of their faction. Do their actions back up their words? How do they treat their fellow man? This became a much greater concern for me this time around, and I couldn’t quite put it into words as to why.
A line was said in church this week that helped me organize my thoughts and feelings.
The worship team was leading us in a song where the bridge went, “Come awaken Your people, come awaken Your city, oh God of Revival, pour it out, pour it out.” Then, the pastor came up partway through and politely interrupted the songs. He talked about how we all needed a bit of revival during these times, that we all needed God to pour Himself out on us.
He then dropped this poetic bomb:
“We do not serve a Donkey. We do not serve an Elephant. We serve the Lamb of God.”
We’ve been putting too much stake, too much faith, in things that cannot sustain us. Trends shift, politics change, the limelight switches from issue to issue. However, we serve the Lamb, who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
This explains why I was so calm during this election season while many others ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. That consistency, that reliability, has brought me through so much turmoil, and it’ll continue to do so. It’s comforting knowing that, in an ever-changing world, He’s the One who sustains me, and He never changes.
Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I know not all of my readers are Christian, but we can all agree that treating your fellow man with respect is morally correct. That’s something we can, and must, unite on. If our country is going to recover at all, we need to put our neighbors first.
It is not “Us versus Them.” It is “How can I Love You Today?”