The Election Post

So, the Presidential election is over.  And I am relieved.  Not because of who won, but because it is OVER!!

Does it seem to anyone else that every four years our country collectively loses its mind?  People who usually get along get into disagreements, either face to face, by e-mail, or on some sort of social media.  Others lurk around clandestinely, guarding their words lest anyone realize they are not voting for the person they "should."  The landscape begins to look like a huge can of alphabet soup exploded onto a ream of paper and then got caught in a purposeful tornado.  At least I get more than just bills in my mailbox, though.

But it's finally over.  The news people can only milk it for a little while longer, trying to figure out what happened and why.  The political parties can spend a little more time rejoicing over their intelligence or lamenting over the terrible hand they've been dealt, and then they will fade back into their caves to start hatching their next diabolical plan for the "most important election in history" (to take place in four more years, of course).

Now, the country can get back to trying to make a go of it.  To cleaning up the mess that is the latest natural disaster, to figuring out how to buy the things they want with the money they can get, to disagreeing over normal things like whose morals are wrong and why, and to worrying about how to get everyone to agree with their own way of thinking, or at least to act like they do.

In the end, it's not up to us, anyway.  Believe it or not, the world does not revolve around the United States, or its president.  As I write this, there are supposedly 7,050,810,911 people in the world, 314,727,929 of which are in the United States.  This, according to my trusty calculator, comes to 4.5 percent of the world population.  Four and one half percent!  That's it!  And can we really believe that God is more concerned about us than the other 95.5%?  Can we be so arrogant to believe that we are special, just because we live in the United States?  I don't believe it.

I believe that God loves all of his people, no matter where they live.  He is called our "Father in Heaven."  As a mother, I don't love one of my children more than the other, just because their room is on the other end of the house.  It matters not that one is taller, or younger, or blonder, or bolder, or a different gender.  They are my children, and I love one just as much as the other.  They don't have the exact same things.  One probably has more toys than the other (especially if you count Lego's individually).  They are five years apart in age, so they don't even have all the same rules and responsibilities.  But I love them the same.

I am afraid that here in the United States we spend a lot of time quibbling about unimportant things.  We all feel that we are entitled to have what we want.  We forget about the six billion, seven hundred thirty-six million, eighty-two thousand, nine hundred eighty-two other people in the world, most of whom live with a fraction of the possessions and advantages that we already own.  No, I am not a socialist, because I don't believe that it is the government's job to remedy this situation.  However, I am a Christian, and as such I do believe that it's MY job.  Now, before you start pointing fingers, I will be the first to admit that I am failing at my job, and deserve to be fired.  This is something that gives me pain.  But I can't believe that electing the right president or making the right laws is somehow going to fix this.

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6.  All of the social programs, all of the morally right laws, all of the prohibitions in the world will not save a single person.  It won't save them from poverty, and it won't save them from Hell.  Only Jesus Christ can do that.  It's not a moral issue.

I have Strong's Concise Concordance, and tried to look up "moral."  It's not in there.  Nor is it in Vine's Concise Dictionary of the Bible.  Do you know what is in there?  The word "Pharisee."  Do you know what Jesus said to them?  "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men...Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.  Let them alone:  they be blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."  Matthew 15:7-9,12-14

Why are we Christians spending so much of our time, money, and energy trying to make non-Christians behave the way we want them to?  Paul said "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin."  Romans 3:20.  We cannot make this a "Godly nation", which "God will bless", by law.  "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."  Romans 3:28.  Should we not instead be spending our resources, our time, our energy, our money, on bringing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Not condemning, or judging.  That is not our job, but God's.  And if people have faith in Jesus, didn't he promise to send a counselor, the Holy Spirit, who would teach them?  So aren't we doing things a bit backwards?

I've gone through some things in life.  I've done things I should be condemned for.  And I have to tell you that I have not changed because of the law.  I did things despite the law, and against the law.  The rules did not stop me.  Rules don't stop anyone.  I wouldn't do those same things now, legal or not.  Why?  Because I was changed into a new person.  Because I heard the gospel, and believed it.  Because I've come to realize my sin, and asked for forgiveness.  So now, I am under the influence of my Lord Jesus Christ, not under the law.  I want to please my Savior.

The only way to make this nation a Christian one is to fill it with Christians, not with a bunch of people who are forced to look or act like Christians, but have no knowledge of Christ!  Jesus told his followers to "make disciples," not to "make rules."  If only we could be about our Father's business, and not our own!