Faithful Politics - Week 2: Now What?

It's over...

The Election.

Is.

Over.

[Now breathe deeply]

I've issued a personal moratorium on news, news-related media, and news items.  I have no desire to hear how or why President Trump won re-election.

I have no desire to hear how or why Kamala Harris failed to get elected.

I am done.  I've reached my information quota, and I'm sick to death of listening to politicians posture, grandstand, and evoke the most incredible hyperbole when saying virtually nothing and promising to singlehandedly save America.

Before the election, I gave up monitoring and posting on social media hardly at all because I grew weary of the negativity from both liberals and conservatives and the way it made me want to fight, argue, and act out of meanness.

I've decided to keep that particular moratorium in place for the foreseeable future.  

I seriously don't need the negativity, and I don't need any more reminders that our nation is divided—some might say hopelessly so.

I have Christian friends who are doing victory laps on their social media outlets and blogs—the online equivalent of jogging by an opposing team member on the basketball court after dunking on him and asking him, "What's Up?"

[or for you old school basketball players, saying "In Your Face!"]

I have other Christian friends who are basically planning to move to some island off of the coast of Nowhere so they don't have to live in the same country as the people who just voted for Trump.

The title of this particular sermon is "Now What?" I will be sending a message to our new President-elect and to all of us here at Shepherd of the Hills.  

So buckle up.  

All of this has reminded me of a story from Mark's Gospel 

In Mark chapter 10:42-45 we have this great conversation between Jesus and two of his disciples who asked to be elevated to great authority when Jesus returned to establish his kingdom.  Here's how that went for them:

42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The disciples were campaigning.  They wanted to ensure that Jesus gave them that great political appointment they desired.  They were practicing partisan politics.  

When Jesus asked them if they were willing to follow him and drink from the same cup he would have to drink from (he was speaking of his Passion), they made a campaign promise and told him they would.

[For the record, when that moment came---they turned and fled with the rest of the disciples.]

But Jesus had other ideas about what it meant to achieve glory, to sit at the head of the table, and none of them involved campaigning, promises, or partisanship. Instead, they all involved giving up oneself, self-sacrifice, laying down one's life, and unparalleled selflessness.

So, with this in mind, I offer the following message to the President-elect:

Mr. President, 

I would like you to hear a few things.  For the record, if your opponent had won the election, she would listen to a similar letter.  

So hear me out, if you will.            

Please, for the love of God, no more empty campaign promises... no divisive rhetoric... 

No endless gloating on how or why you won... 

Your nation is divided.  

Millions of people are out of work---many of whom believe you will save them. 

Millions are living in poverty. 

Half of Americans think our country is heading in the wrong direction. 

There are people in the Northeast—in some of the most populated and civilized parts of our country—who live in third-world conditions with no help or assistance.  

Women living in your home state of Florida live in fear for their lives because they are legally denied access to reproductive health care.  

Children are going hungry in rural parts of the Deep South—in this, the richest country in the world.  

As a result of this election and the negative campaign, there is racial division, gender division, class division, and age division all across the United States. 

We need someone willing to lead us to unity.  To embody it by example. 

Jesus' words are words that you must hear and heed.  "Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant... "

Mr. President, a servant, places others' needs ahead of his own.  Ahead of his political party.  Ahead---even of those wealthy donors who will come to you now with expectations of how they want to be repaid.  

Mr. President, a servant, seeks unity over triumph.  Now is not the time for grandiose speeches about how your side's ideology trumped all others.  Now is not the time for revenge against your political opponents at the expense of your country.  

As we are beginning to learn from polling, ideology was the furthest thing from the minds of those who, hopefully, cast their ballots for you.  They were worried they couldn't pay their bills, afford food, find a good-paying job, or keep the one they had.   

Mr. President a servant is dedicated to giving sacrificially.  This means that you must be willing to compromise---even when those who disagree with you are unwilling to do so on their own.  A great leader knows when to sacrifice what is important to him to accomplish something great for those he serves.  

Again, as Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

The of us who voted for you want to believe you will be the best you can be and lead wisely and well.  They want to believe that you truly are the sort of man who can guide our country to a place of peace and prosperity.  

Those of us who didn't need some convincing: You will be our president, but based on what we have experienced, we have lost faith that you will become the servant leader needed in America now more than ever. 

You have often touted your ideas of greatness.  Greatness isn’t defined by what we say, though.  It is not what we say but what we do that makes us who we are. 

I want you to know that we will pray for you because that is what we are called to do as followers of Jesus.    

Because your job is horribly hard, and your life is not yours in many ways.  

We have watched you age and can see the effects of worry and strain on your face. The decisions you make every day affect so many of us, and the weight of that must be terrible for anyone. 

We pray for you, your wife, and your family that you may all be kept safe.  

We pray for you, but we also pray for all of us. Those who voted for you, and those who didn't.  

We want you to succeed because if you do, we all will.   

And now I have a message for us at Shepherd of the Hills.  

First, I want to tell those grieving this week that the election didn't turn out as you had hoped. 

Don't move to Canada, no matter how much you want to.  We need you.  

Besides, it gets cold there, and it's more challenging to emigrate than you imagine.  I know because I tried once.

I know they're nicer up there. There's universal health care, and the Prime Minister can speak a hundred languages and looks like a movie star.  But we need you.  

I want you to hear this if you are grieving, raging, hurt, and angry.  

Millions of people share your dream of America, and you can take comfort in knowing you are not alone.  

Also, even though you may struggle to understand why this happened, you can find peace if you surrender the outcomes to God, trusting that God is not done doing what God does to bring renewal, restoration, and reconciliation. 

For those who got the outcome you wanted in the election, I also have something to say. 

No candidate for political office is "anointed by God" to save America alone. When they win, it just means that more people voted for them than the other person.  

I hope that you were right in your decision and that the hope you have is realized for all our sakes.  

But now is not the time to gloat.  It's not the time to post more divisive memes on your social media, further alienating those who don't agree with you.  It's time to put down your weapons and stop the division cycle. 

Act with humility and grace.  And be aware that your candidate will probably let you down at some point because that's what humans do occasionally.  It's okay to admit this.  You won't be any less of a conservative for saying so.  

One thing that we can all agree on, no matter our political leanings, is that we all love America and want the best for her.

Finally, I have this to say to our church, our family of faith.  

1. We are uniquely positioned to exemplify God's kingdom peace.  

2. We have everything we need to be a light of unity (not uniformity) if we are willing. 

3. When we practice loving God and loving everybody, we are truly following Jesus.