I know that I am not alone in expressing
that I am elated that this political campaigning
season is over. Now, I realize that the end of
the campaigns does not mean an end to the
madness. But, at least, things settle down a
wee bit. Praise the Lord for that.
What bothers me most about the whole
thing is how seasons such as we are in right
now in our country tend to bring out the
absolute worst in people. Our basest instincts
are often—and unfortunately—on display in
these moments. We too frequently get caught
up in the sturm and drang of the throng, and
therefore we act out in ways that are far too
“natural.” That is, we revert to human nature,
instead of remembering that we are saved.
And, we can forget that, because of our
salvation, we are being molded by the Spirit
into people who live not by our original nature,
but instead by the Spirit-led nature that God is
instilling in us in Jesus Christ. We sometimes
get lost in the storm and stress of life and its
circumstances, so we lash out and roar. We
use language that we should not use. We act
in ways that we should not act. We even
disregard the truth that everyone around us—
EVERYONE—is a human being made in the
image of God. The fact that others may have
different beliefs, different ways of living,
different ways of interacting, and different
choices does not negate the fact that each is
a person made by God. All of us—ALL OF
US—are of infinite value to the Creator of the
universe. The reality of Jesus Christ and his
perfect sacrifice confirms this. He died for
everyone. Regardless.
Those of us who are in Christ have
been gifted a great blessing. It is an eternal
blessing, in fact. We have been mercifully
granted real life in this world. Better still,
we are promised eternal life with God in
the world to come. We also have been
given great responsibility. Here is a hard
truth: when we came to Christ in faith, we
came also as participants in his mission in
the world. We agreed to take part in a holy
task. That task is to be the image of Christ
in our community. That task is to love like
Jesus. That task is to show mercy like
Jesus. That task is to give up what we may
otherwise or beforehand had thought was
ours and ours alone (time, resources,
effort, etc.) for the sake of our fellow
human beings. Like Jesus. That task is to
engage with the world around us in holy,
godly, and merciful ways. Like Jesus. It is
not to claim our correctness or uprightness
in this arena or that. Rather, we are to walk
into the lives of others for the specific
purpose of showing them by our language
and our actions that we are the people of
God. We do not shy away from the truth of
God, of course. We are called, however, to
set aside ourselves in the act of displaying
at every turn the great love of God as it
came to all of us in Jesus Christ. ALL OF
US.
Jesus says a few words about this, as
you know. My favorite, “Do this, and you
will live.” Yes, Lord Jesus. Help us to be
like you in this world. Help us to live. Like
Jesus.
–Ricky