A sunrise reminds me of the best in all of us, the caring, the love, the compassion that is new every morning. The chaotic world we live in needs the best of who we are. That’s why the current political season distresses me with its rhetoric of hate.
There is no doubt that we are immersed in politics these days.The presidential candidates dominate our news outlets with their political views. Parading across the airwaves, there are political platforms day and night. We agree with some of their platforms and promises; we cringe at others.
What makes me cringe more than anything else, though, are when candidates claim to follow God and to uphold Christian values while promising to deport people, carpet bomb countries, and turn away refugees who have nowhere to go. Nathan Hamm suggests a simple, but profound, political platform. He calls it the politics of Jesus.
Love your enemies.
Serve the poor.
Welcome refugees.
Make peace, not war.
Do justice & love mercy.
Care for all God’s creation.
Nathan Hamm
I would like to measure every presidential candidate against these politics of Jesus. When I do that, I seem to hear a lot about hatred, war, deportation, exclusion, and a brand of justice that is frightening at best. Oh, I know that reality sometimes makes it necessary to choose an unfortunate path in order to ensure national security. But is there a political candidate that holds the politics of Jesus in her or his heart as an ideal?
I know this: When I believe that a presidential candidate desires above all else to govern by the politics of Jesus, they will definitely have my full support and my vote. Until then, let us pray for a brand new sunrise of mercy and grace.
God of the Sparrow 🌱 By Kathy Manis Findley 