I've been letting some things marinate about this whole election and thought I might speak a little truth into things. First, I am having a hard time getting behind either candidate. I don't think either one can do what needs to be done but I am praying that with God's help the man with the greatest vision for the right direction in which to move our country will be in office come January.
This is what I am struggling with...As a disciple of Jesus Christ I believe that God gives us everything we need. What does that mean? To me it means that God has given the planet all we need and we are to share what we have been given...some places and people have more and some have less. Some of us are more capable of accumulating and manipulating resources than others. Some are disabled, some are innocent children born into poverty, some are people beaten down by the world and their circumstances. So do we just ignore them? We earned it right? It's ours. Excuse me? Or is every good and perfect gift from God? Do you have anything that you have not received? As Christians I believe we have a responsibility to help the least and the last in whatever ways we can. I certainly have been incapable of overcoming and acheiving things without the people that God has put in my life and the resources they have shared with me. What about you? Will there be people that take advantage of our generosity? Yes! But does that have anything to do with the dispositions of our hearts? If we are doing what God calls us to do that is what matters. The rest is up to God.
Don't get me wrong I am not necessarily suggesting that our government should distribute our resources, this is truly something we should all be doing in obedience. What has bothered me most is that neither man, with both claiming to be Christian, and no one else for that matter, have called this out. Politically incorrect? Hmmmm.
Why the lack of a sense of social justice on behalf of evangelical Christians? We will fight tirelessly for the unborn, but what about those already breathing air? To him whom much is given much is expected.
I hope I have not offended anyone. I am trying to call things as I see them. As always I look forward to feedback.
Matthew 10:8b "Freely you have received, freely give."
3 comments:
As a Christian I struggle with the same thoughts and feelings about this particular election. I've struggled on what to do. At one point even saying I'm not going to vote. Like you, I'm not a fan of either candidate. As a Christian I am to give freely - but should we take away from others unwillingly? It's like Robin Hood in a sense. Taking from the wealthy to help the poor. Is it right to do so? (For the record, I am so not wealthy and don't even come close to the wealthy definition). Are we helping out those who really need it or are we continuing to keep down a person who can't get out of the "hand out" mindset? Not sure. We should give because we want to glorify God - not because we are mandated by a government. Does that interfere with doing it for God? Or is that a mindset? Lots of questions, no answers really. The one thing I do know is that if we Christians want to continue to see our morals and values represented here then we need to fight for all of them. Not just a few that seem convenient. Good Blog Heather!
Thanks Noel. I have said I don't want to vote either, but know I must. And as I said it is the motivation behind the giving that really is the point. I don't necessarily think the government should mandate however I would like to see the gospel message brought to light in this and it's not. Instead we are calling names like "socialist". Again if we give to glorify God lives will be changed, most noticeably the giver's life I think. Also what is done with what we give is up to the person who receives and God and should never stop one from giving.
I know you and I are far from wealthy by our standards but in comparison to the rest of the world we are beyond wealthy and have so much at our disposable that is completely unavailable to others. Jesus said we will always have the poor with us. Is this motivation to give and act continuously?
For me personally, yes it is a motivation to continuously give. This is something I have challenged myself with a lot more lately. I look at my home, my job, my everything and know how blessed I am. I know that there are children & families all around the world who have nothing but each other. I enjoy giving to those who need it more than me. I also try to do it in a way where I can somehow glorify God to the receiver. It's an agenda, I'm aware, but it's for him that I do it. I have such a hard time trusting our government to properly give to those who need it. I have seen so many who abuse the system, that I will admit that I have been jaded by it. Maybe it's me having a trust issue with people in general. Wow - maybe this can be another blog!! lol Do you do therapy sessions? :-)
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