viewoutsidethepew

I don’t blog about politics. This may look like I am, but read to the end. It’s more important than mere government.

(Photo by Allan Tannenbaum-Pool/Getty Images)

Over time I have read a lot of blogging condemning President Obama of the USA. The ravings get tiresome, because my research turns up a different picture of his personal being than the conservative painting. He is personally destroying the USA to help the Muslims, the ravings charge, basically.

Prime Minister Harper

Well, here in Canada we have a conservative Prime Minister. I could rail against him for destroying basic Canadian morality. His policies have undermined our long tradition of social support. I know because I was denied funding for a community support programme because the government now interprets the law to provide that funding only to those who don’t need it!

So, left or right we could rail against the government.

Big deal…

Some say at the end of the world no government will stand except the Kingdom of God, with Jesus as the Big Boss. I happen to agree. But even now people who follow Jesus need to be called to an alert, not against government, but about patriotism.

I like Canada, but in my tiny bit of travel I found Peru enticing, Belize a great place for anyone starting a business, and Scotland a comfortable land.

Now I am not a conscientious objector. I am not a political anarchist. The issue is deeper and more important than that.

I respect those in government, partly because I wouldn’t want to do it! “Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn’t been established by God” (Romans 13:1 God’s Word), God told Paul to write.

But I serve the Divine Boss, the Highest Government, the Eternal Court of Justice. “This world is not my home…”

So I will respect the government, yet challenge it when it reduces funds for the poor or cheats people or breaks its own laws. But rail against the Leaders as though they had signed up to be an Anti-Christ? That’s dangerous religiosity.

I love them, with God’s help; pray for them, with Paraclete’s help; and respect their personhood, with Jesus’ help.

My country is not God, and doesn’t deserve blind patriotism, nor is it conspiring to serve only the devil (or else Paul was deceived). “The government is God’s servant working for your good” (Romans 13:4 God’s Word).

Still, it’s tough for me to obey only one Boss. I easily adore my wife, defend a policy during an election, promote the company I work for against those who compete. However, while I will live this life walking after the ways of the Saviour as much as I can, only Creator deserves total loyalty.

My one message remains, I pray, that “Jesus answered [], ‘ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” ’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All of Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40 God’s Word – see also Luke 10:27).

Politics, economics, and cultural traditions amount to a set of opinions. “These things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ. It’s far more than that! I consider everything else worthless because I’m much better off knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It’s because of him that I think of everything as worthless. I threw it all away in order to gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8 God’s Word).

That I gained Christ is true. That I threw all else away (past tense) is actually a work still in progress, though I hope I’m progressing.