As some of you may know, my family and I have been praying for a young boy named Jamie. Over a month ago, he won his personal battle with cancer. He is now living in glory with Jesus. His family had set up a Facebook page called Jamie’s Courage. Appropriately so.
Jamie’s father and I were friends while we were in public school together. Midway through high school we began to lose touch, and after graduating, we really didn’t see each other at all. It wasn’t until publishing my first book that I had the privilege of being reacquainted with my friend. I had brought a copy of The Edge of His Cloak to the local bookstore in the hopes that they would stock it on their shelves, only to find out that my friend was part owner of the store.
When standing back to consider the situation, it’s rather ironic. We were reunited through a book written largely about healing. He lost his son shortly thereafter.
The kind of heroes that we celebrate in our culture often wear spandex and fly around using some spectacular means. They risk life and limb without pay or recognition, often keeping their personal identity a secret. These mythical heroes are rather surreal, because these are not the type of heroes that we encounter in real life. As I survey the course of my own life, there are few on whom I would bestow the title of a true hero. Jamie would be perhaps that one exception.
I have never been known to be much of a fighter, in any sense of the word. Whenever I face a challenge, my natural instinct is to curl up into a little ball and suck my thumb. Much of life proves itself to be a battle. I often lie down in bed praying to God,
“Dear God. I’m so tired of the struggles of life. Please bring me home. Let me wake up in your presence. Just don't let it hurt.”
Granted, were I to face death head on, I might have a little fight in me. My general attitude towards life’s battles however, tends to be one of melancholic surrender.
When I was a young man, about Jamie’s age, I read my first book. In fact, it was the only book that I read of my own free will for many years. The book was called, “I Want To Go Home”, by Gordon Korman. It was about a young boy named Rudy Miller whose parents dumped him off at summer camp. He spent the bulk of his time trying to escape his summer camp prison.
I often reflect on that book, as if I saw myself in the character of Rudy. I spend much of my life feeling as if I’ve been dumped off at summer camp. Many people remember their childhood days at summer camp fondly. For my part, summer camp was perhaps one of the worst experiences of my life. Prophetic in many ways; but painful. I found myself, like Rudy, begrudgingly playing games I didn’t want to play, surrounded by other boys who seemed to be having the time of their lives.
As a man, I live within a similar analogy. I live as an alien, surrounded primarily by people who seem to feel quite at home here. If you follow me on Facebook, you likely noticed me even comment a few weeks ago saying, “I just want to go home.”
Picture the scene if you will. Imagine a 30 ish man, who frequently considers giving up on life, praying for a boy who fights for every breath. There is a peculiar dichotomy at work is there not? Why fight? Why press on? What would I do in such a place? Would I fight? Or would I accept my ticket home?
When we watch Spiderman squaring off against Dr. Octopus, we really aren’t all that concerned. We know that Spidey always comes out on top in these moves, and even if he doesn’t, he isn’t real anyway. Stories such as Spiderman or Thor really don’t challenge us all that much, because they are removed and separated from the trappings of reality.
Real life has a way of reaching our hearts in a way that fiction cannot. When we watch a young boy press in as he gazes upon death itself, the truth of it has a way of penetrating our hearts and bringing to light our own cowardice. Raw courage reveals itself not when we are unafraid, but rather when we are most fearful. Bravery is proven when it keeps fighting, even while the rest of the world has given up.
Through Jamie, I realize that it isn’t all about me. I have understood the theology of it for some time, yet the true magnitude of it generally evades my person. There are lives which intertwine themselves with mine which are worth fighting for. There are other people who need me here as long as The Lord wills it, and for their sake, it’s best that I be willing to remain in the struggle, even if it isn’t fun for me.
When I consider Jamie, I recognize my cowardly naval gazing for what it is. Jamie compels me to be a better man. Here is how I choose to honour the life that he lived. As long as I walk in the truth, I’ll fight for each breath. I’ll lean in where I’ve been tempted to fall back. I’ll forge ahead into those places where I’d rather retreat.
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Monday, June 20, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Laughing at Our Shame
Please forgive me if I don’t share every grimy detail of my life with you. I know I have shared some pretty personal things here in blog world, but there is still room for discretion, especially on the world wide web.
This past weekend has been a time for me to reflect on some of the differences between the person I was, versus the man that I am in Christ. A close personal friend of mine recently brought up one of the more shameful moments of my life. It’s not the kind of story that I want to share with you. In her defense, the friend in question had no way of knowing that her comments would take me back to such an embarrassing time.
You see, at one point in time, my moment of shame used to be my very crown and glory. You have heard similar acts of heroism have you not? In his letter to the believers in Philippi, Paul makes mention of people whose, “god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.” Philippians 3:19
For some people, this life really is all that there is. Do you know people like that? Are you that kind of person? Were you that kind of person? Thankfully, Paul doesn’t name names. (How embarrassing would that be?) He just talks about a type of people; people whose appetites are their god. Much of their talk and thought life revolves around their gut. They are proud of the very things that bring dishonor to their name. They laugh at their own stupidity. Horrible people. The scourge of the earth.
Do you know who these people are? It’s rather strange how it all unfolded, but the very things that I used to hold up as my crowning glory have become the very things that I would like stricken from the record. It isn’t that I have turned over a new leaf or cleaned up my act. I am a new person in Christ.
I guess this is part of the reason why we’re often so resistant to God’s redemptive work and call on our lives. The things that we often view as being our greatest human achievements are the very same things that are detestable in God’s sight. I guess I’m a prude, but I really don’t like being laughed at for my own stupidity anymore. I don’t mind being ridiculed for being one of those cross-kissers. I can handle being mocked for something I know to be good, honorable and right, but it isn’t much fun to be laughed at for getting piss drunk and eating a pound of live goldfish.
(If that sounds rude, you’re quite right. That’s kind of the point. It is rude.)
As for the problem with the people that Paul is speaking on, the fact that they like watching the cooking channel really isn’t the problem. The problem is a heart problem.
You can do whatever you want. You really can. The reality however, is that our actions reveal our true character. If your actions reveal that you are a, adulterer, a drunk, a pot-head, a liar, a slanderer or a gossiper, are you fine with that? Perhaps you are fine with that. Perhaps it’s even funny, if not your own personal crown.
Its fine to be a drunk or a liar as long as we laugh isn’t it? Above the door jamb of our hunting camp, there is a sign that reads, “Hunters, fishermen and other liars gather here.” It’s the kind of sign that makes most people smile or chuckle a little bit, because we all know that fishermen love to embellish their heroic catch. As long as we can laugh at it, it’s ok.
There are different ways to brag about our personal shame. Liars sometimes pride themselves on their personal skill of being able to keep a straight face. Swindlers might tell of the way that they really scammed someone in their latest transaction. Drinking stories tend to take on the form of skill and bravery.
As for my personal shame, I’ll leave you guessing. All I’ll say is this;
It’s just not funny anymore.
This past weekend has been a time for me to reflect on some of the differences between the person I was, versus the man that I am in Christ. A close personal friend of mine recently brought up one of the more shameful moments of my life. It’s not the kind of story that I want to share with you. In her defense, the friend in question had no way of knowing that her comments would take me back to such an embarrassing time.
You see, at one point in time, my moment of shame used to be my very crown and glory. You have heard similar acts of heroism have you not? In his letter to the believers in Philippi, Paul makes mention of people whose, “god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.” Philippians 3:19
For some people, this life really is all that there is. Do you know people like that? Are you that kind of person? Were you that kind of person? Thankfully, Paul doesn’t name names. (How embarrassing would that be?) He just talks about a type of people; people whose appetites are their god. Much of their talk and thought life revolves around their gut. They are proud of the very things that bring dishonor to their name. They laugh at their own stupidity. Horrible people. The scourge of the earth.
Do you know who these people are? It’s rather strange how it all unfolded, but the very things that I used to hold up as my crowning glory have become the very things that I would like stricken from the record. It isn’t that I have turned over a new leaf or cleaned up my act. I am a new person in Christ.
I guess this is part of the reason why we’re often so resistant to God’s redemptive work and call on our lives. The things that we often view as being our greatest human achievements are the very same things that are detestable in God’s sight. I guess I’m a prude, but I really don’t like being laughed at for my own stupidity anymore. I don’t mind being ridiculed for being one of those cross-kissers. I can handle being mocked for something I know to be good, honorable and right, but it isn’t much fun to be laughed at for getting piss drunk and eating a pound of live goldfish.
(If that sounds rude, you’re quite right. That’s kind of the point. It is rude.)
As for the problem with the people that Paul is speaking on, the fact that they like watching the cooking channel really isn’t the problem. The problem is a heart problem.
You can do whatever you want. You really can. The reality however, is that our actions reveal our true character. If your actions reveal that you are a, adulterer, a drunk, a pot-head, a liar, a slanderer or a gossiper, are you fine with that? Perhaps you are fine with that. Perhaps it’s even funny, if not your own personal crown.
Its fine to be a drunk or a liar as long as we laugh isn’t it? Above the door jamb of our hunting camp, there is a sign that reads, “Hunters, fishermen and other liars gather here.” It’s the kind of sign that makes most people smile or chuckle a little bit, because we all know that fishermen love to embellish their heroic catch. As long as we can laugh at it, it’s ok.
There are different ways to brag about our personal shame. Liars sometimes pride themselves on their personal skill of being able to keep a straight face. Swindlers might tell of the way that they really scammed someone in their latest transaction. Drinking stories tend to take on the form of skill and bravery.
As for my personal shame, I’ll leave you guessing. All I’ll say is this;
It’s just not funny anymore.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Cold Feet - The Pre-Wedding Jitters
A friend of mine is getting married in the next couple of weeks. Every once in a while he mentions that he’s getting a little bit nervous about the thought of being married. We’ve never had the time to sit down and flesh out the root of his jitters, so I’m left for the moment to speculate. Being afraid of commitment, let alone marriage is a big issue for some people. Being committed to anything, let alone in marriage, comes with obligations. Commitments always demand something of us.
I have every confidence that my friend will follow through, but it’s not uncommon for people to submit to their fears. Some of our fears are born of reality. Marriage can be tough. Sometimes they die and no matter how much one person wants to hold on, the other isn’t willing. There is always an area of uncertainty when entering into any relationship with another human being.
Unfortunately, we are a creature that often responds to fear. How else to you suppose Harold Camping has been able to draw such a following? I encourage you to think of all of the ways in which fear destroys relationships. How does fear show itself in unforgiveness? Suppose you have been wronged. What keeps you from reaching out to the person even after they have repented? Are you afraid? Do you fear that they really haven’t been changed?
Why do you lie? We tend to lie because of fear. We lie because we’re afraid of the consequences of the truth. We fear how the other person might respond if we were to be completely forthcoming.
If you are in Christ, these words of Paul apply to you;
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” 2Timothy 1:7
Paul wasn’t speaking within the context of marriage. He was encouraging Timothy to be bold as a witness for Christ. The principle however applies to every facet of our life, including our relationships. Paul describes fear as a ‘spirit’. When we submit to that spirit, it tends to produce destructive fruit. Fear breeds mistrust, separation and even animosity.
In marriage, if we live out a life of fear, we really don’t give everything that the relationship deserves. We hold back. It even goes so far as to affect the tone and our posture towards the other person. The more we hold back, the more the relationship suffers. Christian marriage isn’t a partnership. We are called to become one flesh, even so much as the body of the one belongs to the other.
Don’t you DARE use that as an excuse to be domineering or abusive.
If you live in fear, can you possibly completely surrender to the other? Can unity exist where fear is the motivating spirit?
If you are among those who have those before marriage jitters, I encourage you to take heart from an old school friend of mine. He was kind of nervous himself. He took comfort in this thought,
“At least it’s not forever. It’s only until one of us dies.”
I know. It doesn’t melt your heart like a well crafted Disney moment.
There are no guarantees. However, marriage can be good. It can be amazing. Don’t let your personal insecurities ruin something that has the potential be the second most important relationship of your life. (Next to Jesus.)
I have every confidence that my friend will follow through, but it’s not uncommon for people to submit to their fears. Some of our fears are born of reality. Marriage can be tough. Sometimes they die and no matter how much one person wants to hold on, the other isn’t willing. There is always an area of uncertainty when entering into any relationship with another human being.
Unfortunately, we are a creature that often responds to fear. How else to you suppose Harold Camping has been able to draw such a following? I encourage you to think of all of the ways in which fear destroys relationships. How does fear show itself in unforgiveness? Suppose you have been wronged. What keeps you from reaching out to the person even after they have repented? Are you afraid? Do you fear that they really haven’t been changed?
Why do you lie? We tend to lie because of fear. We lie because we’re afraid of the consequences of the truth. We fear how the other person might respond if we were to be completely forthcoming.
If you are in Christ, these words of Paul apply to you;
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” 2Timothy 1:7
Paul wasn’t speaking within the context of marriage. He was encouraging Timothy to be bold as a witness for Christ. The principle however applies to every facet of our life, including our relationships. Paul describes fear as a ‘spirit’. When we submit to that spirit, it tends to produce destructive fruit. Fear breeds mistrust, separation and even animosity.
In marriage, if we live out a life of fear, we really don’t give everything that the relationship deserves. We hold back. It even goes so far as to affect the tone and our posture towards the other person. The more we hold back, the more the relationship suffers. Christian marriage isn’t a partnership. We are called to become one flesh, even so much as the body of the one belongs to the other.
Don’t you DARE use that as an excuse to be domineering or abusive.
If you live in fear, can you possibly completely surrender to the other? Can unity exist where fear is the motivating spirit?
If you are among those who have those before marriage jitters, I encourage you to take heart from an old school friend of mine. He was kind of nervous himself. He took comfort in this thought,
“At least it’s not forever. It’s only until one of us dies.”
I know. It doesn’t melt your heart like a well crafted Disney moment.
There are no guarantees. However, marriage can be good. It can be amazing. Don’t let your personal insecurities ruin something that has the potential be the second most important relationship of your life. (Next to Jesus.)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Introduction :Alien Love
What This Is (and Is Not)
Hello. My name is Kevin Abell. You probably gathered that after reading the name on the front cover. Before you dive in to this book about love, there are some things that I would like to share with you. I want to do this in order to make sure that you aren’t being set up for disappointment. You might end up feeling let down regardless, but I can’t stand the thought of you continuing on in search of something that isn’t here.
I don’t know why you read books. Out of the few books that I have read, many seem to be little more than long essays. They are designed in order to try and reveal some grave injustice at work in the world and show us the way to address it. Some books are written as a call to arms or to advocate a course of action. Others are informative. This work is none of the above.
If you are looking at this for information, you will probably become disenchanted. To be completely forthcoming, this book is no more about love than my last book was about healing. My last book had the appearance of a book about healing, and that’s exactly how many people received it. At the heart of this work, as well as my last, is a signpost which is meant to move us towards Jesus.
What you are holding in your hands is this; A Journey. A journey is much different than an essay. An essay is written by someone who believes that they know enough about a topic in order to inform and convince you of their thesis. I beg you not to proceed in this way because I know how disappointing it can be when you purchase a product that doesn’t do what you thought it was supposed to do.
Before you read further, please address this question. Are you willing to set out on a journey? If you aren’t, if you are expecting this to go in a certain direction, either to the right or to the left, you won’t likely find what you are looking for.
On The Word Love Itself
Whether by design, or poor recognition, authentic love has become an elusive phenomenon. It is a word that we use to describe our affection for everything from iced cream to our boyfriend. It seems to be something that we both receive as well as something that can be made. I don’t know how it got this way. Overall, love is a word which is unable to capture all that it was intended to describe. It carries with itself so much baggage that we really don’t know what to do with it.
Whenever a person speaks on love, it’s always difficult to know exactly what they mean. We tend to confuse it with human sexuality and romance. The word might be in reference to affection. It is often used to describe acts of kindness.
I don’t know exactly who has the power to make up words, nor do I know who authenticates the decision. I do know that the word was destined for failure. If you are reading through the Bible, depending on whether you are reading through a text which has been written in Greek or Hebrew, there are approximately 20 different words that might form the foundation for what is written on the page before you.
Left Behind
If you are among the many people that have been deceived by Harold Camping this past weekend, I want you to know that my heart goes out to you this morning. This is the first day that you had planned to spend in glory with Jesus. No doubt you have found yourself here on this side of life, facing at least some amount of disappointment.
Many of you have left your homes, families and jobs because you believed in your heart of hearts that Jesus was coming back for you yesterday. I can’t even pretend to know how you feel in your heart. Nobody can bring your sincerity into question. Neither can we place your devotion to Jesus into question, having forsaken all. I can’t begin to imagine the disappointment that you face.
Please know that Jesus isn’t the one who let you down. If you’ve suffered financial loss and public humiliation in front of your family and co-workers, it doesn’t have to be in vain. Jesus is still coming back for you. It just wasn’t yesterday. You have in Christ the opportunity to rise from the ashes, if you are able to see the situation for what it is, and cling to the Saviour whom you have so eagerly been waiting for.
Sure. Harold’s got your money. Much of it has been spent on billboards around the country. It doesn’t have to happen again. As for the final days, Jesus Himself told us, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Matthew 24:36.
Jesus Himself didn’t even know the exact time that the Son of Man would return. So the next time someone claims to know more than Jesus, I pray that you will be the wiser. Please don’t allow this great disappointment to be a dark shadow which allows itself to loom over the rest of your life. Let today be a day where you, having waited so expectantly, would receive Him in humility. You can meet Jesus today on your knees in the brokenness of faith and considering the brevity of life, don’t worry, you’ll meet Him soon enough.
Many of you have left your homes, families and jobs because you believed in your heart of hearts that Jesus was coming back for you yesterday. I can’t even pretend to know how you feel in your heart. Nobody can bring your sincerity into question. Neither can we place your devotion to Jesus into question, having forsaken all. I can’t begin to imagine the disappointment that you face.
Please know that Jesus isn’t the one who let you down. If you’ve suffered financial loss and public humiliation in front of your family and co-workers, it doesn’t have to be in vain. Jesus is still coming back for you. It just wasn’t yesterday. You have in Christ the opportunity to rise from the ashes, if you are able to see the situation for what it is, and cling to the Saviour whom you have so eagerly been waiting for.
Sure. Harold’s got your money. Much of it has been spent on billboards around the country. It doesn’t have to happen again. As for the final days, Jesus Himself told us, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Matthew 24:36.
Jesus Himself didn’t even know the exact time that the Son of Man would return. So the next time someone claims to know more than Jesus, I pray that you will be the wiser. Please don’t allow this great disappointment to be a dark shadow which allows itself to loom over the rest of your life. Let today be a day where you, having waited so expectantly, would receive Him in humility. You can meet Jesus today on your knees in the brokenness of faith and considering the brevity of life, don’t worry, you’ll meet Him soon enough.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Fire and Brimstone
Sometimes, in my line of work, we’re tempted to lie. I’m sure that you have never been tempted to do so in your career. There are different reasons why people lie. Much of the time, lies are told because the truth at hand won’t be well received. Whether in the medical field, the automotive trade, or any area of life, reality tends to be a rather cold, hard dish.
Let’s face it. How many people like hearing bad news? Few that I know of. The obstacle for us at The Mufflerman, is we are about the business of dealing with other people’s problems. Almost nobody comes to us because they are having a good day. Therefore, the news that we have to break to our customers is usually bad. Out of this situation often arises the temptation to try and put a positive spin on the matter at hand.
Plain truth often proves itself to be unpalatable.
I don’t talk about hell all that often, but every so often I come in contact with someone who believes that the horror of it is just too great to accept. Perhaps your world is constantly filled with sunshine and rainbows, so I understand if your observations about life are quite different than mine.
Life tends to be tough. How on earth can we expect that there would be no unpleasant realities to be faced after this life?
Let’s face it. How many people like hearing bad news? Few that I know of. The obstacle for us at The Mufflerman, is we are about the business of dealing with other people’s problems. Almost nobody comes to us because they are having a good day. Therefore, the news that we have to break to our customers is usually bad. Out of this situation often arises the temptation to try and put a positive spin on the matter at hand.
Plain truth often proves itself to be unpalatable.
I don’t talk about hell all that often, but every so often I come in contact with someone who believes that the horror of it is just too great to accept. Perhaps your world is constantly filled with sunshine and rainbows, so I understand if your observations about life are quite different than mine.
Life tends to be tough. How on earth can we expect that there would be no unpleasant realities to be faced after this life?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Who Voted For This?
When I was a kid, I remember my dad saying on several occasions, "It's funny how the Conservatives have won back to back governments, but I don't know anyone who voted for them". Now I'm seeing a new generation saying the same old things. Who allows these unknown vagrants to vote their conscience?
I often wonder exactly who Jesus would vote for if He had a vote, although I don’t believe that we can obtain a precise answer to that question. I believe he would cast a ballot, out of his, ‘Give to Caesar…’ comment. Again, not saying that he definitely would, only that it’s a probability in my opinion.
Even though God’s kingdom is not of this world, He does care a great deal about the leadership of our world. In the Old Testament, we find two books devoted to sharing the details of political leadership in Israel. You can find them in 1st and 2nd Kings. In The New Testament, we’re told to pray for our leaders.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 (New International Version, ©2011)
1 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.
I don’t know if Jesus voted for the Conservative Government. They certainly do embody at least some of what He would stand for, but there are other parties that are more focused on His concern for the poor. What we do know for sure is that God wants all people to be able to “live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
Whether you like the shape of our government or not, I believe we are still afforded the privilege of living peaceful and quiet lives. I believe that we still have the privilege of growing more and more like Christ. I guess if you want to live apart from Christ, you can do that too. I won’t stop you. There’s always room for one more in the pit.
When I woke up this morning, my mind was in a whirl as it thought over the events of last night’s May 2 election. There are things that I liked and things that I didn’t like. I saw Facebook status updates from friends who felt quite defeated. Perhaps you found yourself in a similar spot. What really got me grounded this morning was the time I spent in the word looking at the political landscape in Joseph’s day. It reminded me, that there are worse things. There are worse things than a right leaning government in a left leaning country. There are worse things than having a socialist government.
The people of Egypt had suffered from years of famine. They had used up their own reserves, spending all of their money buying food from the government and given away all of their livestock.
Genesis 47:18-19 (New Living Translation)
18 But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”
There are things that each of us don’t like about certain types of governance. Capitalists can’t stand the notion of communism. Liberal minded people don’t like the thoughts of living under conservative rule. Here in Egypt, the people willingly handed themselves over as servants to the government; selling their very bodies along with their land.
For me, it’s a picture of the worst kind of slave/communism. In North America, we have a very strong aversion to slavery. However, given the choice between selling themselves and death, servant hood wasn’t such a bad idea. How fortunate we are that our choices aren’t nearly as severe.
What do you think? Are there worse things than slavery? Are there worse things than a Conservative majority government? Are there worse problems than having a polarized electorate? Are there worse things than losing your seat? I believe there are.
In Christ, these tiny political games are but a temporarily necessary
diversion. Somebody has to do the job of leading this country and I’m thankful for the men and women who have stepped up to the role. I’m thankful that they are filling those necessary roles, because they give us the opportunity to live peaceful and quiet lives as we move towards godliness and holiness in Christ.
Congratulations Stephen Harper on your win. I pray that you will lead as a man after God's own heart. Congratulations Jack Layton. I hope that you fill the office of official complainer to the best of your ability. (No. That isn’t a shot at you. It’s what the opposition is supposed to do.) I feel for you Mr. Ignatieff. You seemed to do the best you could. Thank you for demonstrating your humanity last evening. Congratulations Elizabeth May. NOW I’ll be happy to watch you in the leader’s debates. As for Mr. Duceppe, I am sad for your loss.
I often wonder exactly who Jesus would vote for if He had a vote, although I don’t believe that we can obtain a precise answer to that question. I believe he would cast a ballot, out of his, ‘Give to Caesar…’ comment. Again, not saying that he definitely would, only that it’s a probability in my opinion.
Even though God’s kingdom is not of this world, He does care a great deal about the leadership of our world. In the Old Testament, we find two books devoted to sharing the details of political leadership in Israel. You can find them in 1st and 2nd Kings. In The New Testament, we’re told to pray for our leaders.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 (New International Version, ©2011)
1 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.
I don’t know if Jesus voted for the Conservative Government. They certainly do embody at least some of what He would stand for, but there are other parties that are more focused on His concern for the poor. What we do know for sure is that God wants all people to be able to “live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
Whether you like the shape of our government or not, I believe we are still afforded the privilege of living peaceful and quiet lives. I believe that we still have the privilege of growing more and more like Christ. I guess if you want to live apart from Christ, you can do that too. I won’t stop you. There’s always room for one more in the pit.
When I woke up this morning, my mind was in a whirl as it thought over the events of last night’s May 2 election. There are things that I liked and things that I didn’t like. I saw Facebook status updates from friends who felt quite defeated. Perhaps you found yourself in a similar spot. What really got me grounded this morning was the time I spent in the word looking at the political landscape in Joseph’s day. It reminded me, that there are worse things. There are worse things than a right leaning government in a left leaning country. There are worse things than having a socialist government.
The people of Egypt had suffered from years of famine. They had used up their own reserves, spending all of their money buying food from the government and given away all of their livestock.
Genesis 47:18-19 (New Living Translation)
18 But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”
There are things that each of us don’t like about certain types of governance. Capitalists can’t stand the notion of communism. Liberal minded people don’t like the thoughts of living under conservative rule. Here in Egypt, the people willingly handed themselves over as servants to the government; selling their very bodies along with their land.
For me, it’s a picture of the worst kind of slave/communism. In North America, we have a very strong aversion to slavery. However, given the choice between selling themselves and death, servant hood wasn’t such a bad idea. How fortunate we are that our choices aren’t nearly as severe.
What do you think? Are there worse things than slavery? Are there worse things than a Conservative majority government? Are there worse problems than having a polarized electorate? Are there worse things than losing your seat? I believe there are.
In Christ, these tiny political games are but a temporarily necessary
diversion. Somebody has to do the job of leading this country and I’m thankful for the men and women who have stepped up to the role. I’m thankful that they are filling those necessary roles, because they give us the opportunity to live peaceful and quiet lives as we move towards godliness and holiness in Christ.
Congratulations Stephen Harper on your win. I pray that you will lead as a man after God's own heart. Congratulations Jack Layton. I hope that you fill the office of official complainer to the best of your ability. (No. That isn’t a shot at you. It’s what the opposition is supposed to do.) I feel for you Mr. Ignatieff. You seemed to do the best you could. Thank you for demonstrating your humanity last evening. Congratulations Elizabeth May. NOW I’ll be happy to watch you in the leader’s debates. As for Mr. Duceppe, I am sad for your loss.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)