Focus Scripture: Zechariah 7:9-10
A believer imitates their Lord, Jesus Christ, in thoughts, and actions. We should be known for our compassion and forgiveness in our relationships with one another (Gal 6:10), as well as towards nonbelievers. This is found to be difficult, because of our daily battles with our sinful nature and secularized cultures of our post-modern world. Further, our political discourse in America has negatively impacted the church. Scripture cautions against trusting in man’s government’s to save or provide true fulfillment in this life (cf. Jn 6:15). Our Lord’s kingdom is not of the world (Jn 18:36), and as a result Christians are citizen’s of heaven. The Bible declares our earthly lives is temporary…..a “vapor”, and this world is passing away (2 Pt 3:10, 1 Jn 2:15-17). We are to place no “saving” hope in this world and this life. At the same time, the socio-political structures of our earthly life do matter as they can affect our lives in both positive and negative ways.
In light of our heavenly hope, how is the Christian to engage in political discourse and civic obligations?
To start, living out the second greatest commandment, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” If we simply examine ourselves and every political position we so boldly affirm in light of this commandment, perhaps our opinions will be spoken and viewed through the lenses of mercy and compassion. Too often we are like the twelve disciples in Samaria asking Jesus to call down fire from heaven to destroy those who opposed them (Lk 9:51-55). Jesus did not come to destroy, but to save. He died for God’s enemies, which we all were before salvation (Eph 2:1-3). God does not desire sacrifices we deem to be appropriate to offer Him, that only end up making us look righteous before men. We should have a core disposition the leans towards compassion and mercy (especially with those who we disagree), which reveals the heart of God through Christ. Jesus exhorts his disciples, “…love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (36) Be merciful, even as you Father is merciful (Lk 6:35-36).”
The Lost Art of Listening
Our society (especially on social media) are consumed with being heard and right. The virtue of listening is a lost art. If you are person who endeavors to be understanding and show gentleness with those whom views you disagree, you will be labeled sell out by those in the culture who are deceived to their own ideological bigotry. In political debates, people are no longer those created in the image of God, but rather objects of our disdain and resentment. You can observe people who typically think in this way, “Such in such person said this…………..and/or stands for this…………which I do not agree with………….therefore I am going to give them what they deserve! It’s us against them!” I wonder, if our heavenly Father took that posture against rebels like us? What if he decided to keep his precious Son in heaven, and never send him to save us? What if he held us in contempt that we rightly deserved? We would all be doomed!! Instead, the Bible boldly declares, that while we were still sinners (children of wrath, enemies of God deserving His righteous judgment), Jesus was sent and died for us! (Rom 5:6-8) Through grace, mercy and truth we are saved!
Final Thoughts
The Bible commands the Christian to emulate the love Christ has for us, and extend it to others as his agents of grace. We are encouraged, by the leading of his Spirit, to speak and live in a redemptive way, thus giving grace and mercy to others we have so abundantly received in Jesus. The Pharisees failed to understand this, and factionalism is the fruit of such error within the church. We are in desperate need of God’s help that he may change our hearts. I encourage us all pray and meditate on these two passages of scripture:
Zechariah 7:9-10, “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. (10) Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.”
Matthew: 9:10-13, “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. (11) When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ (12) On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (13) But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Dr. Jason S. Price, Th.D
www.springoflivingwaters.com