The World Is NOT Flat!

Over the course of the last few months...specifically this month...I have experienced my usual (every 4 years) cynicism over the ability of the church to engage the world in ways that are actually helpful. All it takes is an election and the claws come out. Seemingly intelligent people begin to spew unintelligent thoughts, stereotypes and slander...all in the name of politics.

What irks me to no end is that many people who claim Jesus as Lord so align themselves with either party that the lines between the upside down kingdom of Christ and the kingdoms of this world blur beyond recognition. Forgetting ourselves, we enter discussions as if we don't bear the name of Christ FIRST over the candidate of your choosing.

Don't believe me? Check out Facebook. Facebook has been filled with venomous spewing from Christians. Upon reading it I have the feeling I have had in History class when we've studied witch hunts, Nazi Germany, American slavery, women's rights and civil rights. When you read some of our past it is almost shocking to imagine how any intelligent person could allow themselves the choice of looking the other way. Some of the stereotypes I have read on Facebook this week from my Christian brothers and sisters make me so sad. I know we get caught up in emotion. Emotion does weird things to us. I, of all people, am guilty of this. But when we're putting out messages like--all those on welfare are lazy and worthless, Obama is the anti-Christ, northerners are just minions of Satan, etc...something is very wrong.

These are but a few of the remarks I've seen just in the last two days. Multiple others suggesting Obama IS Satan, he will bring about the end of the world, our nation has now collapsed, etc. And I want to just say, SERIOUSLY??? It is in times like this that a big, huge roll of duct tape would come in handy.

First of all, regarding some of those remarks above, I know several people who are surviving on welfare. They are neither lazy nor are they worthless. How can any child of God call another human being worthless? And...I'm pretty sure my northern born and raised wife would take exception to the comment about northerners.

All the while, people who might be interested in a different way of life...a Jesus life...watch us as we spout off and make broad, sweeping generalizations about each other. Even worse, we call our President "Satan". Tell me...would you want any part of that? People make a big deal about the Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps (for good reason!). But, my fear is, we're a lot closer to that than we'd like to believe.

My prayer is that we can unify for the betterment of our country and our world. Let's be agents of peace...showing with our lives that we truly DO trust God. Proving our trust in Him, let us set aside fear and the negativity that's being spewed out everywhere. Turn your swords into plowshares and put your Christianity where your mouth is.

I pray that Barak Obama would lead us well. I pray that God will bless his family. I pray that everyday he would trust Christ more and more. I pray for wisdom and discernment for him and our leaders. And I pray that God would heal our land. Move in us, Lord Jesus and forgive us for being so blind to your ways!