Politics Have You Blue? Me Too.

This week, I have cringed every time that I have opened my e-mail or logged on to Facebook, for I am getting deluged by a number of political emails that seem to demonize a particular candidate, party, or political philosophy.  Even people with whom I agree on various viewpoints are starting to get on my nerves, because I see a lot of non-Christian approaches to these messages.  

Honestly, I wonder if people ever take the time to think that God so loved Barack Obama and Mitt Romney (and by extension those who agree with them) that God's grace is available to them as well?  You want to disagree with someone?  Fine.  Have at it.  There's no one more passionate than I about politics and ideology - I have very strong convictions of my own.

However, as those who profess faith in Christ and try to live it out in our daily lives, I wonder how much we stop to consider how much our political discourse - verbal and electronic - really reflects the light of Christ we supposedly are called to give to the world through the lives we lead, and how much of our political discourse is simply more graceless noise added to an already-toxic conversation?  In other words, how much do we think about whether or not that Facebook post or that e-mail we are about to forward really gives a grace-filled picture of God to those who will receive it?

Over the next three Sundays, we will be exploring the topic of Caesar, God, and Voting from the following angles: Caesar's Perspective, God's Perspective, and 'What is a Christian to Do?'

I promise you now that this is not going to be a three week political convention laying out why you should vote for a certain candidate.  No, this is going to be a three-week discussion about how a Christian should engage in the process of choosing whom to support.  And, I'll also promise that there is no hidden message in this - you won't be able to read between the lines and see for whom it is that I'm trying to get you to vote.

No, it will simply be another way for us to explore, Biblically and theologically, how we are to engage not only in the political process, but also all of life.

Think Barack Obama is evil?  Think Mitt Romney is evil?  Think everyone is way too overhyped no matter their view?

This is for you!

See You Sunday!

Lamar