Christians & Politics: Toward A Healthier Engagement

Yesterday, I started typing these thoughts into a Facebook post and quickly realized it was too long for that. So, here I am, making my first blog post in nearly a decade to share some thoughts that have been ruminating in my mind during this contentious presidential election season. I’m not going to tell you how to vote, although I certainly think Christians ought to think carefully about how they will wield their vote in any election, especially a presidential election cycle. To that end, two Christians leaders I greatly respect have shared how they are thinking through their vote, and though they arrive at different conclusions (one plans to vote for Trump while the other plans not to vote for either major party candidate) I think both perspectives are well-reasoned & worthy of consideration.

But beyond who to vote for, I’m increasingly burdened with how Christians should engage in politics, especially in the realms of social media and personal conversation. If politics has become our new religion, then one of the signs we’ve made an idol of our political leaders is that we feel the need to reflexively defend, justify, or explain away any problematic statement or action by a leader in OUR tribe, while simultaneously rushing to condemn and assume the worst about any similarly problematic statement or action made by leaders on the OTHER side. Believing the best about those in our camp, we interpret their actions in the best light possible and make generous assumptions about their motives, while assuming the worst about those on the other side and misrepresenting their words completely. We gloss over or ignore glaring faults in our preferred candidate, while magnifying every fault we see in their opponent.

I have seen this tendency at work in myself, too. Here are a few principles I have to remind myself of often during the throes of election season:

1. “No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). We should expect basic standards of integrity, decent, and honesty from those who seek political office. But because only God is truly good, we should keep a sense of humility about ourselves and our leaders. They will fall short, as will we. Knowing this, we should be open to criticism and critique, acknowledging the limits of our position without feeling the need to reflexively defend policies and statements that are biblically indefensible. And knowing that God alone is good ought to remind Christians that we ought to be more passionate about proclaiming the virtues of our Savior than any political leader or party.

2. Christians are called to love their enemies (Matt. 5:43-44). Obedience to this command must mean more than nodding in agreement as we spew bile about our political foes. “[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things…”(1 Cor. 13:7). Yes, love is also careful not to rejoice at wrongdoing, but to rejoice with the truth (1 Cor. 13:6), and Christians are to walk in wisdom and even shrewdness in the public square (Matt. 10:16). With those caveats in place, Christians should look for opportunities to bless those on the other side of issues from us, even as we contend vigorously for our position in the public square. We can and should show dignity and respect toward our opponents in word and in deed.

3. Christians are called to a higher standard. Half-truths, name-calling, hateful memes, and even slander are standard fare in our political discourse. It’s easy to justify such tactics with a “whataboutism” that says, “What the other side is doing is worse,” or, “They started it.” But our Lord has called us to a higher standard: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt. 5:38-39). Christians ought to refuse to stoop into the gutter of misinformation and personal attacks, determining instead to engage our opponents’ ideas honestly & charitably.

4. Christians are called to be impartial & gracious in judgment. How might Jesus’ instruction to deal with the log in your own eye before you deal with the speck in your brother’s eye apply to our political/cultural discourse?:

“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:2-5)

What if we spent less time pointing out the “specks” we see on the other side, and more time correcting the “logs” on our own side of the debate? What would happen if both the political left & right applied the same standards to themselves that they seek to impose on each other? Might that help lead our country forward in a more productive way? I suspect donkeys & elephants will fly before that happens. But this posture ought to be the mark of those who believe that God has graciously dealt with us much less severely than we deserve.

I’m sure much more could be said , but I think these principles are a start towards a healthier Christian engagement in politics. In one of his insightful books, Yale law professor Stephen Carter argues that “religions…will almost always lose their best, most spiritual selves when they choose to be involved in the partisan, electoral side of American politics.” As American citizens, Christians ought to seek the good of the society in which God has placed us with our voice and our vote. But as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), let’s strive to act & speak politically in a way that makes clear that our greatest hope does not rest on a candidate or party or electoral outcome, but on a Savior who we eagerly await from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Walking The Tightrope of Faith

Confession:  I’m afraid of heights.  I’ve also never possessed terribly great balance.  Yet, I once participated in some exercises at a high ropes course in which I walked across a tightrope like the one pictured at right.

Walking the tightrope was tricky.  Shift your weight just a bit too much by pushing on the rope, and you were headed face-first toward the ground.  Pull it too closely to your body, and backwards you went.

I’ve been leading our youth through the Sermon on the Mount on Sunday nights, and Jesus’ words near the end of this sermon remind us of the importance of walking the tightrope of faith:

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

As we walk the tightrope of faith in the Gospel, we are tempted to shift the weight of our faith in one of two directions that can cause us to lose our balance.

Some shift the weight of their faith toward words, believing that merely affirming a theologically accurate statement of faith equals true spiritual change.  To those leaning on the rope of empty words to their demise, Jesus’ words cut deeply: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Other shift their faith toward works, trusting that the cumulative effect of their good deeds will justify them before God.  To those leaning on the rope of merit, Jesus is equally clear:  “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'”

At its most fundamental level, walking the tightrope of faith is not about having the right words or the right works.  It’s about having the right heart.  To be sure, faith in Jesus will result in a transformed life in which we affirm the doctrines of Scripture and serve Him with our actions (James 2:14-26).  But words and works do not have the power to save.  Only Jesus can do that, through the power of His atoning death and resurrection (Titus 3:4-7).

I find that I’m easily tempted to lean on the unstable ropes of goods works & right doctrine.  I begin to take the credit, thinking that it’s because of what I say or do that I’m justified before God.   I’m constantly coming back to Jesus, reminding myself that it’s only because of Him that I have hope.  Jesus is the tightrope, and apart from Him I can do nothing (John 15:5).  His grace is all that’s holding me up!

Your Kid’s Ball Game: A Mission Field?

Spring has arrived, and with it, baseball and softball season is starting up for children and teens everywhere. An estimated 45 million kids play organized sports in the U.S. each year, and the spring sports season probably encompasses more of those kids than any other.  Baptist Press recently ran a great article outlining some ways parents can use their child’s involvement in sports as a missions opportunity to reach their community for Christ.

As Diana Davis writes, she began to grow weary of attending all the different games her children were involved in, when:

“One day…I suddenly realized that God had placed me there for a strategic purpose.  Here were dozens of people who didn’t know Christ, and we would be together in those bleachers for weeks.  God had called me to the “bleacher ministry.”

The entire article is worth a read, but here are a few of the high points:

•Be intentional.  Ask God to open doors and provide opportunities to make a difference.

•Personalize.  Work hard to remember names, both of the players and their parents.  A simple, “Hello, Heather,”  can mean a lot to a lonely mom.

•Move it.  Sit near different people at games, and make an effort to get to know them.  Make every effort to avoid being part of a clique.

•Live it.  People are watching to see if God makes a difference in your life.  As others observe your relationships, your positive parenting, and Christ-like attitude, they’ll be drawn to Jesus.

•Do something extra.  Be available.  If you’re asked to help, do more than expected.  Call to check on a sick teammate.  Volunteer your home for a team party.  Seize every opportunity to show God’s love.

I hope you’ll make the most of the missions opportunities God gives you, including those centered around your child’s games this spring.  As for me, Allison & I will be coaching a tee ball team sponsored by our church.  We have a couple kids from church on our team, but we made an effort to take other kids so that we could build relationships with their families throughout the season.  If you want some quality entertainment, come out to one of our 4-year-old tee ball games this May!

What about you?  How are you engaging those in the bleachers with the Gospel?

Parenting In A “Sexting” Culture

A recent news story regarding “sexting”–sending sexually explicit or provocative messages or photos, usually by mobile phone or internet–caught my attention.  A 16-year-old girl had struck up an online relationship with a 21-year-old man.  She began to send him photos of herself using her cell phone, including several nude pictures.  When she decided to break off the relationship, he threatened to post the pictures online unless she agreed to meet him for sex.  Thankfully, at this point the girl had the courage to inform her parents about what had happened.  They informed the police, and now the young man faces up to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted extortion.

The article went on to discuss how many parents remain ignorant about how their children are using cell phones and other web-enabled devices.  You can check out the experts’ remarks in the article if you’d like, but from my position interacting with youth on a regular basis, I’m continually amazed at some of their comments about their use of Facebook & cell phones, and how little parental oversight seems to be exercised over these items.

A pastor mentor of mine used to say, “Your child will have many friends, but they’ll only have one mom or dad.”   Translation:  a parent’s first job is to be parent, not just one among their child’s cadre of friends.  Parents, if you don’t teach your kids how to navigate our tech-saturated culture and monitor their activity, who will?  In recent years, our culture’s technological landscape has changed dramatically.  Today’s generation of parents are the first to lead their kids through a world with anytime, anywhere web access.  You can find tips on how to parent in this environment in many places, but here are a few I would suggest:

1.  Talk with your kids about the dangers of online & mobile communication, especially regarding sexting.  What’s common sense to you may not be common sense to them.  My sense is that many teens fail to understand just how public their social media posts are.  Both boys and girls need to understand the danger of sending photos to members of the opposite sex.  It seems innocent enough for a teenage girl to post a picture in her bathing suit or in front of the mirror in her pajamas, but few of those girls–or their parents–seem to understand or care how the teenage male mind can be impacted by that image.  And if kids will post images like that publicly, don’t assume they won’t send something more provocative in a private message.  Parents of teenage boys need to have a frank discussion about how a Christian man will conduct himself with the opposite sex, whether online or in person.  Are these comfortable conversations?  No.  Do they need to happen anyway?  Yes!

2.  Monitor your child’s use of social media & web-enabled devices.  If your child is allowed to have a cell-phone, consider whether an internet data plan is really the healthiest option for them.  At the very least, monitor your bill carefully to see who your child is messaging.  If they beat around the bush about telling you, chances are something’s up.  If your child is on Facebook, talk with them about parameters for use and make sure they add you as a friend so that you can follow their activity online.  Also, be aware that your child can block others on Facebook from seeing their conversations with certain friends.  Don’t be afraid to ground your child from Facebook or disable their account if they insist on using it inappropriately.  Social media is a privilege, not a right.

3.  Consider an internet filter for your home computer or web-enabled phone that allows you to set some parental controls for your child’s online activity.  A simple Google search will quickly lead you to some good, cost-effective options.

4.  Remember that though your child will probably find a way to work around whatever protections & parameters you set in place (didn’t you do the same at their age?), that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the effort.  Though your child will probably never admit it, your diligence as a parent communicates your love & concern for them in immeasurable ways.

In the end, no parent can eliminate all the potential dangers facing their kids.  But you can, through your words and actions, help your kids learn to follow Jesus and make godly choices.  This discipleship process is what being a parent is all about (Deut. 6:4-9; Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4), leading your child into a transformative relationship of faith in Christ.  Once they have been changed by Jesus, they will not do right because you want them to, but because they want to (Romans 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17).  So parents, pray for your kids and love them enough to lead them to Christ!

Merry X-mas!

My friend Stephen Cavness has written a great post about the big fuss we Christians tend to make over the use of alternative references to Christmas (“Happy Holidays!”, “X-mas”, etc.).  Now, I’m certainly a fan of “keeping ‘Christ’ in Christmas” and for making the holiday season point to Jesus, but I think Christians ought to pose three questions to themselves:

The "Chi-Rho" symbol, adopted by early Christians as a way of referring to Christ. The first letter of the Greek spelling of Christ looks like an English "x".

1. Does the tone & spirit of our debate on this issue actually help draw unbelievers to the Christ of Christmas?  Or are we merely giving the unbelieving world another reason to conclude that the church exists merely to wag its finger at their behavior?

2. Am I more concerned with removing the speck (“Happy Holidays”) in my brother’s eye when there is a reindeer-sized (materialistic approach to Christmas, impatient spirit in busy stores, etc.) log in my own eye?  Most Christians I know–including myself–are guilty of becoming more absorbed in all the “stuff” of the Christmas season than they are with the Christ.

3. What is my greatest concern:  ensuring my actions, words, and attitudes exalt Jesus throughout the entire year, or making sure it’s a Christmas –and not a holiday–parade that proceeds down Main Street this year?

As for the whole “X-mas” stink, Stephen uses the second half of his post to rightly point out this was originally a reference to Christ.  Nowadays, the “X-mas” reference is either used as shorthand, or as a way to avoid referring to Christ.  Maybe instead of launching a “Ban X-mas” campaign, Christians should see the “X-mas” reference as an opportunity to lovingly inform the offender of its origins, giving a witness for Jesus in the process.  Now that would really put Christ back into Christmas!