Sorry for the few days away, but it could not be helped.
In my current series I'm trying to answer the political/social crises of our times with a biblical perspective. Psalm 37:1-40 is a timely and powerful response, not only to the thugs and thieves that govern us, but also to the less than stellar, that is to say: the largely ungodly response that many Christians are displaying toward these powers that be.
Given that we've had a few days pause, let me review to get us all up to speed. Friends: this is a moment for us to shine, not to whine; a moment to radiate hope and grace, not to communicate despair and rage; a moment to so live in the midst of confusion and chaos that people actually ask us for the reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:13-16), not see in us the same frustration and fury that they see in everyone else!
So (by way of review) I've asked the question: "How is your present ('Christian') response to all these evildoers different from that of others in the world who share you basic political or economic point of view, but who are not Christians?"
I have also wondered if our response reflects a sound, solid, sure conviction that while presidents and kings come and go, "in the end there will be only one King standing?"
You see: a right relationship with, and view of, God should enable us to stop fretting (remember: the psalmist exhorts us not to fret three times). So Christian: "Cool down. Chill. Don't get emotional heart-burn over the thugs and thieves of human society. Whatever right responses there may be--like speaking out against evil, voting evil out of office when able, not conforming to the evil, rescuing victims from the evil, and praying for the evildoers--one thing we are not to do, is go into a slow burn. Don't become a boiling cauldron of worry, anger and rage (Psalm 37:8). Just don't go there."
The psalmist would have us be content, not envying the wicked or desiring more than we have (Psalm 37:1, 16). So what if politicians take away our present standard of living? So what if they limit our freedoms? So what if they don't listen to our voice? So what if they seem to get away with political thuggery? So what if my taxes go through the roof? So what--and yes, I mean it--if the USA we have known is forever a thing of the past?
Christians and the Church have flourished in conditions far worse than any on our horizon. We should prepare to do the same without grousing or complaining. The testimony of the gospel and the glory of Christ is at stake. We should be far more concerned about handling the abuse of our rights with grace than we are about the fact that our rights are being abused.
I'm not advocating that these evils don't matter at all, or that they shouldn't grieve us (for all evil should grieve us). But I am saying that whatever a right response to them might be, it does not include fret, rage, and discontentment. We should not fret over evildoers or allow ourselves the crippling and dishonorable "freedom" to rage against others or sink into unhappy discontentment because society just might be taking a really bad turn for the worse.
Based on David's inspired words I'd ask: "Do you have a little? Do you have today's bread, a couple of outfits to wear, something simple to get around in, a roof over your head, a glass of water, enough health to get by? Then you are better off than the D.C's power-grabbers and all the kings and presidents on earth. Make sure to enjoy what God has given you more than you worry about what government is taking away. Don't panic and fret over the media and cultural elite's seeming stranglehold on our culture. In the end they will perish while you endure."
I think that an accurate read of American history reveals that she has endured thugs and thieves at least as bad, and I think, far worse than what we have today (read about the political, business, slavery and segregated world of the 1,800's through 1960). I'm telling you: those were evil, evil days; days of unspeakable injustices at the hands of slave owners, business tycoons, and political power-brokers.
Yet those evildoers have come and gone--and the Church and people of God remain and are going strong! Brothers and sisters: in the end there will only be One King, One Power, One Dominion standing--and we'll be part of His kingdom.
So Psalm 37 has helped us to see what we are not to do in reponse to culture's thugs and thieves. From here on for the next several days we'll look at what we are to do. I hope you'll stay tuned.
Good post. I have missed these! At the risk of being accused of being off topic-I just wanted to offer a little defense for the business tycoons of the turn of the century. Is it fair to put these successful men in the same list as slaveholders and political power brokers? Historians with an agenda have painted men like John D. Rockefeller as evil, miserly sorts who used unfair business practices to cheat their way to the top. These historians have proven to be ignorant of basic economics and should be held accountable for their slander. Recent popular scholarship has uncovered the truth that men like Rockefeller couldn't have cheated their way to the top. Instead, they earned their wealth by providing a needed product or service that helped society at large. To my knowledge, Rockefeller for one was a godly, humble man, who supported his local church his entire life. Yes there were some tycoons who used their cozy relationship with government to establish cartels that verged on monopolies, but they fit in the "political power broker" category. Let's leave the true public servants out of the list of evil from the 1800's through the 1960's. Most of these men are examples of the Puritan work ethic. A good book to read for those that are interested is "The Myth of the Robber Barons" by Burton Fulsom http://tinyurl.com/y45locs
ReplyDeleteI'm no expert on Rockefeller and the others , but from the little I've read about him in particualr (and Carnegie too) they were known to exact hard labor at cruelly low wages, would let workers starve before paying them more, would send in thugs and enforcers to break up strikes--even killing in the process.
ReplyDeleteWhether these reports are true or not about these specific men, it's clear that such men have dominated societies for nearly all time. And America is no exception.
Ruthless, dishonest, money drunk men who make theirs on the backs of others are more the norm in big business than the exception, I would guess.
But regardless of the details, we do need to see the larger points I'm making in these posts, as I know you know!
Whether those reports are true or not seems to be the crux of the whole issue to me. Rockefeller was competing for others for labor, if he didn’t treat his employees well they would leave the firm. He had a direct interest in treating his people well. The distinction between the society that allowed these men to come from other humble circumstances to serve the American public and all evil men from time immemorial is that the relatively free market that was operating at that time. Most business leaders in the old world had cartels and monopolies that were state enforced to some degree that allowed them to abuse their workers and their customers. Rockefeller did not have this advantage and Americans were better off as a result.
ReplyDeleteOK I'm done. :) I dont want to distract anyone from your larger point, which is a good one.
Tim, thanks for the refreshing perspective. I believe that your advise is well rounded and Biblical. We must not be anxious for anything. Losing sleep, or losing a calm integrity or Godly perspective is as sinful as that to which we might possibly react. My wellbeing has been committed to by a holy covenant, made by a man (Christ Jesus) who cannot lie and who has already provided the greatest provision, Himself. Will he not freely give us all things? He controls all things.
ReplyDeleteI, like Adam, am alarmed and at times disgusted at the ongoing political folly. I, too have studied economics at the hand of Milton Friedman, Henry Hazlet and Adam Smith.
i see clearly the innorance and folly of our leaders and for the most part, of the American people. God has, in His infinite wisdom, caused these things to occur in order to bring about His own glory. God, in his mercy, has caused many worldly men to serve his purposes to provide for the masses. Many of them became incredibly wealthy in the process. He shows mercy on the just and the unjust. Sam Walden's Walmart has been maligned for not providing enough for its employees. I can tell you that I used to pay $10 for a shower curtain in 1980, and now, 30 years later, I can purchase a better one for $5 dollars. Thanks to Sam Walton. With respect to Rockefeller, I am ignorant. I will say this, I worked many jobs as a child and recieved a fair (to me at the time) wage which today is outlawed by child labor laws. Here is my point. God has not promised that the USA, as we have known it, will continue as we have known it. God owes America as a body politic, only judgement for her sins. I am sad to see her go. I know and believe that harder times are ahead. We as the people of God, need to realize this and be ready to change all of our church life, social, financial and political paradigms. "yet once more will I shake the earth". God will not share His glory with another. We better get with His plan because as Tim said, Christ will be the last Man standing in the end.
Adam, thanks for being an informed concerned American. I really appreciate that about you.
Pastor Tim, thanks for being a faithful, sensitive, in touch man of God with a desire to direct our thoughts and affections after God.
My Thoughts....
JR
O for grace for us all to speak when we should and how we should. Today's world needs informed Christians (like Adam seeks to be) who say what needs to be said but then live in fullness of joy even if nobody listens!
ReplyDelete