Why the election turned out right

Christian voters were handed a great blessing last night. That may be a surprising thing to hear coming from someone who was disappointed last night that "my guy" didn't win. Frankly, I woke up feeling very discouraged. Then, this morning, I read an email sent out from Helen Alvare of Women Speak for Themselves. Her point was that had the presidency gone to the Republicans, Christians may have found it too easy to rely on government to address important matters of social policy.  As the results stand, Conservative voters know that there is much work to be done and we -- individual Christians -- need to get busy.

We Christian types often toss around the Biblical paraphrase that we are to be "in the world but not of it." Yet, our daily lives don't reflect that we believe that truth. American Christians have it too easy. Sure, we know our neighbors may find it odd that we get out of bed early on a Sunday and write checks to that big building on the corner, but we don't live with the reality of daily persecution that Christians in other parts of the world experience. Yet. Despite what the vice president said in the debate a few weeks back, the healthcare mandate is truly attempting to take away religious liberty from people of faith. Those who define family in traditional terms are being made into pariahs by government policy, school "awareness" weeks, and, of course, nightly television programs. The heart of Christianity -- sharing the Gospel message -- is viewed as offensive by our culture, and so we enter the season of "Happy Holidays" rather than celebrating the love that is Baby Jesus.

So, Election Day 2012 was a blessing. It means the policies that brought us to this point have only just begun and it means life as an outspoken Christian will get harder. And that means put up or shut up time for people who claim to believe the Bible. Do you believe those rock-star preachers who proclaim that if you believe enough you'll have success in life or if your church follows just the right steps it, too, will have overflowing parking lots every Sunday? It's a lie, folks. If they put our savior on the cross with nails, how dare we think life will be easy for us? A presidential administration that makes Christians uncomfortable is a good thing. It means we will stop coasting on the fallacy that this is a "Christian nation" and start doing the things that each and every Christian ought to do. If our leaders are passing laws that make us cringe, we need to do better. None of us will ever get it right. There will always be more, so much more we could do. Yet, we need to try.  Instead of spending the next four years griping about the election that got away, do something.

That something, by the way, is love. Jesus, himself said: " Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Kill 'em with kindness. Supporting your favorite candidate is a grand thing, but so much better is shoveling snow for a neighbor or donating the same food to the food pantry that you feed your own family. Christians love to proclaim the evils of abortion, but do we celebrate family and help crisis pregnancy centers or do we look down our noses at the girl who got "caught" and make jokes about the big families who "haven't figured out how that happens yet." Be better. If a family with a mom and a dad and some kids is ideal, live like it is. Don't complain about your kids and roll your eyes about your spouse. Make it something worth aspiring to instead of just another bunch of people in the same house. I'm talking to myself here, too. Nothing changes until we all act like that Jesus guy actually matters.

The world is going to be messed up. All the time; every day. That's a given. In Heaven we can ask God why he put people in charge of running his creation and why he left us running the shop for so long. Until then, we can sit in the mire and talk about how it used to be better and it ought to be different or we can be better and do different. Remember all that talk of hope and change? Our hope is in Jesus, but our mission is to change hearts and lives for him now.





"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  -- Jesus in Matthew 5: 44 

"I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." -- Jesus in John 17: 14-17.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." -- Romans 12:2

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Mom: Erik, what do you want to be in the Sunday School Christmas program? Sheep? Cow? Donkey? Shepherd? Angel?
Erik: Ummm...
Anna: I think Erik should be a train engineer.

Well, that would have made an easier journey for Mary -- Nazareth to Bethlehem by train.