Politics and God or should I say God and Politics?

We are quickly entering another political season. I'm sure we are all aware of the negativity that this season brings so on that note I'd like to share a story and a few Scriptures:

This year in Sonlight we got to read about Napoleon. As you know he was a French Emperor, who wanted to rule the world (by the way, he is dead now). One of his decisions while in power was to sell America the Louisiana Purchase. Well, when his brothers heard about it, they barged in on Napoleon taking a bath and told him what a foolish mistake he had just made. Napoleon stood up in the bathtub and threw such a tantrum that one of his servants fainted. Napoleon, in that moment of nudity, sealed one of his most foolish decisions. As we well know, that one decision forever changed the face of what America would become.

As I read this story, I couldn't help but think of the following Scripture:

Isaiah 40:15

15 The nations are like one small drop in a bucket;

they are no more than the dust on his measuring scales.

To him the islands are no more than fine dust on his scales.

The weight of a nation in God's eyes is like a drop in the bucket. That brings a little perspective to the whole picture doesn't it? Yet somehow, in America, we think that because we get to choose our leaders that democracy has changed the importance of a nation's politics in God's eyes. We also somehow believe that if our leader isn't our defintion of "Christianity" than the hope of our nation, at least for four years, has gone out the window.

But let us not forget that Jesus came "in the fullness of time." The "political fullness" occurred when the Romans had God's chosen people in captivity. Scripture makes it very clear that God is not restricted by nor afraid of who is ruling:

Proverbs 21:1

1The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord;

he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

As I read through the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer it became very clear that the church dropped their power and influence and exchanged it for nationalism. We are all well aware of the horror that resulted when the church forfeited its true mission and purpose. If we want to to learn anything from history, it should be that governments come and go but the one thing that will remain is God's kingdom.

God is not up in heaven biting His fingernails, worrying who America will vote for their next President. However, He does instruct His people in how they should be interacting with politics. We all know the following Scripture but I think in light of this next season, it is good to read again and to see what follows it:

I Timothy 2:1-6

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

Top priority to God is the advancement of His kingdom, and the advancement of that is not dependent upon the political landscape of our nation. It is, however correlated to His people. As Christians, entering into this next political season, I urge you to keep your eyes fixed on God's reality. Yes, we are historically privileged to be able to have a voice in the choosing of our leaders. It is important to be informed and to vote. However, we need to first see and love people through their relation to God's kingdom and not through their political party association.

 

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