I
like politics. It’s quite enjoyable to have an earnest conversation
with informed and thinking people about public policy. But, there is
always at least one in the crowd who is loud, obnoxious, and quite ready
to declare, in very dogmatic terms, that the ‘other side’ is part of
some terrible, evil conspiracy. Talk radio and cable TV news are now
biased hard right and left. Yet, they gain devotees who seem to lose
their ability for analysis and understanding in direct proportion to the
amount of media opinions they consume. We’re all suffering as a result
of the talking heads who make themselves rich by screaming about
unfairness and/or stupidity of "the other guy." The extremism is robbing
our nation of good governance.
Many
Christians quite willingly join the noisy chorus on one side or the
other, repeating the party lines, turning policy debates into personal
attacks on those who hold office. Is this fitting behavior for those of
us who have a higher calling as citizens of the Kingdom of Christ Jesus?
Scripture calls us away from the big-mouths with their polarizing
talking points into responsible citizenship.
Romans
was written to Christians who lived under a government that had little
respect for human rights and yet look what God told them about that
government. "Those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are
refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. For the authorities do
not frighten people who are doing right, but they frighten those who do
wrong. So do what they say, and you will get along well. The
authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something
wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The
authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish
those who do wrong. So you must obey the government for two reasons: to
keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes,
too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid so
they can keep on doing the work God intended them to do." (Romans
13:2-6, NLT) It’s a word for our time! God created authority and
government. Like it has in everything else, sin has brought corruption
to government because sinful people hold office. Yet, as Christians, we
respect the office and cooperate to make government just and fair.
I
am thankful for the processes of democracy and the ability to express
opinions that conflict with those in power. I believe that those
Christians who fail to exercise their right to vote, who are uninformed
about their government, are missing out on an important part of the 21st
century Christian life. How can they raise an effective witness, how
can they work to bring God’s concern for the poor and the oppressed into
policy decisions if they are ignorant of the positions of the
candidates and their parties? To be sure, our highest allegiance is to
our Heavenly King. True as that is, we hold passports that bear the
flag of our nation and we pay taxes to governments of this temporal
world. With our citizenship comes privilege and responsibility.
Here’s
a word from the Word. As you read it, may the words of our Lord call
you to a responsible citizenship that goes beyond simply being a loud
critic.
"They
came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You
aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but
you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to
pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus
knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring
me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he
asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,”
they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s
and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him."
(Mark 12:14-17, NIV)
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