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My Kind of Politics
Joe Killian • November 11, 2016
I don't even know who he is but today I am grateful to Eric Nelson. As I drove to an appointment this morning I saw two of Mr. Nelson's large campaign signs along the road. Plastered across his name was a large Thank You! His gracious gesture made me smile. It also made me reflect on the fact that we live in a free country, flawed but free. We can't know what is in store for us when our next president takes office. Regardless of your political leanings, Jesus has instructed us on what to expect as His followers.
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here-- the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
“Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Luke 21:5-19
This is part of Luke's passage on the end times. Each of the Gospel writers talk of it. Jesus' prophetic words surely must have unsettled His audience. One minute they are talking about the temple and the next minute Jesus is dropping some pretty heavy apocalyptic news on them. Their first reaction is to want to know when these things will happen and how they will know. Jesus then moves from general destruction to personal persecution. He warns that death is even a possibility for some.
We as Jesus' followers must live with the expectation that persecution is a very real possibility. That is even true in our "free" country. We must trust in Jesus and His Spirit in all circumstances. Our hope must be in Him. I found this article to be helpful in light of the election. Written by Scott Sauls, it is entitled, What Do the Politics of Jesus Look Like?
You might want to read it for some perspective. In the section below I found peace. I pray you will also.
Jesus gains power by surrendering power.
Put Barabbas to death and it ends his revolution.
Put Jesus to death and it launches his.
As the crowds panicked and grasped for power, Jesus sat quietly and non-defensively, resolved and ready to die
as He awaited His unjust sentence from the Roman state.
Panic and grasping for power is the way of the world.
Remaining calm, loving, and non-defensive, no matter what the political outcomes, is the way of Jesus—
and of His followers who have their kingdoms rightly ordered.
The story continues...I'm still working on the pondless waterfall in our front yard. I shared this project with you two weeks ago in Playin' In the Dirt. Since then I've had to rework sections of the stream three different times because we were losing too much water. I am now an expert on evaporation rates and excessive splash, two causes of water loss. This morning I tore the whole thing apart and I'm starting over.
Have you ever watched DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda? I stumbled across it recently and thoroughly enjoyed Jack Black's performance as a bumbling, noodle selling, kung fu enthusiast, giant panda named P o. Set in ancient China, it is more than a humorous slapstick comedy. The core message of the story jumped out at me as I have been focusing recently on the concept of being. Po is shockingly identified as the Dragon Warrior and he reluctantly enters training. The goal of the training is to receive the Dragon Scroll, which is believed to hold the secret to limitless power. Now I don't want to spoil the big reveal but I will say that what Po realizes is the same as what I speak to in the concept of being and authentic identity. So, where do we find the secret to our "power?" I praise You, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works! My very self You know. Psalm 139:14 God knows it; and we must seek Him with all of our hearts in order to find it. As it was in the movie, the answer is stunningly simple. Our authentic identity is already within us. The challenge for Po in the movie was in seeing himself accurately and not the way others saw him. Even his teacher scoffed at the idea that Po was anything more than an underachieving dreamer who overate when he was anxious. Po's problems are rooted in the fact that he believes the lie of his false identity much more than he does his authentic one. Is it possible that you do the same? Who could have imagined that beneath all of Po's girth lived the Dragon Warrior? What's hidden from view in you? Seek God for understanding as to who He created you to be. Spoiler Alert: the secret of your limitless power is already in you. God placed it there and He wants you to be who He authentically created you to be.
Maria and I have been playing in the dirt a lot recently. First we replaced our French drain and then we embarked on a creative project intended to change the entire look of our front yard. My brother Jeffrey and I installed a new front step.
