Living in this divided and hostile world, I love any concert that causes people to feel truly connected heart-to-heart. Sincere songs that soar from inner humility, brokenness, and tenderness have the power to do that. Let’s move beyond political divides to genuine heart-connection.
Hold on to and connect heart-to-heart with both God and people. Two groups in society have gone one way or the other. The left lets go of God and His commandments as they boldly promote sexual confusion and moral chaos. The right lets go of heart-felt love and kindness toward all people as they promote self-righteousness and religious pride. “Let no one deceive you with empty words.” (Ephesians 5:6)
Refuse to compromise the truth as taught in Scripture but also don’t personally try to enforce it by manipulation or force. Every nation has people who want to obey the living God and people who don’t. The only way to force people to obey God is by coercing them to comply with His moral rules and punishing them if they don’t. That helps enforce some laws and fills up prisons, but it can’t change a human heart or what people do in private. Carried to extremes it creates authoritarianism and self-righteousness.
Both the left and the right need to compromise (not in truth but in enforcement) and find a middle space where we can live and work together in peace without tearing each other to pieces! To do that we could come together and agree to compromise in enforcement but call things what they are. We could agree to replace “empty words” that deceive people and disguise reality with words that are openly and honestly descriptive.
Here are some examples: Instead of using the words “sexual orientation” and “transgender” we could use “sexual confusion.” Instead of “abortion” we could use “pre-natal killing.” Instead of insulting people who disagree with us or calling them “haters” we could respect their right to have a different point of view and to behave differently than we do.
God gives people free will. Governments have created laws to try hold back behaviors that harm people and society. They use law enforcement as an attempt to compel compliance to those laws. However, without absolute, violent totalitarianism laws cannot be fully enforced. (Even then some people can still slip around them.)
When people believe that they can sneak past law enforcement they will often break the law. Just look at how many people speed when there is no trooper around! However, when one is spotted, almost all the cars slow down.
Government law enforcement isn’t perfect. It can very frequently be gotten around through lying, denying, hiding, forging documents, political favors, pardons, cheating, begging, bribing, and many other ways.
So, what can cause us humans to stop hiding behind blaming, accusing without proof, insulting, using deceptive words, and calling people haters? We need inner law enforcement and we have it. It’s called our conscience. Yet it is easy to ignore it, silence it, and leave it sleeping inside of us.
The cure for any culture isn’t the political left or the political right. It is multitudes of citizens with an awakened conscience who will speak the truth in love and overflow with kindness and compassion for the people who disagree with them. We need a wave, a mighty movement, of inner awakening. “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)
Train yourself to demonstrate the presence of Jesus and the power of Scripture. It’s not enough just to verbally defend it.
Dear Jesus, in this world of self-righteousness, resentment, loathing, anger, and violence, please wake up my conscience to ongoing humility, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, mercy, and peace. Empower me to speak the truth in love. Forgive me when I put my trust in political leaders and when I put my country first or my own desires first. Instead help me to always first be inwardly and humbly led by Your presence within me in all that I think, feel, say, and do. Be my absolute Lord, King, Master, and God. Continue to change my heart and my mind until I begin to fully obey Your command to “Love your enemies.” In Your Name I pray. Amen!
Reflect Christ
And His light.
Take no part
In darkness.
(Ephesians 5:11)
Let Jesus write
Faith on your heart,
Not just belief
But real relief
From all torment
And every grief.
When you feel like
You are the chief
Of all sinners,
Let Christ give you
True reliance
On His presence
And compliance
With His commands.
(Hebrews 12:2)
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement 