It’s been a tough election year so far and a great many have felt the pressure or worse, experienced real pain.
Unfortunately, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Gee, how many times have we heard that little phrase this year? I’m fine with it as long as there is some notion that things really will get better.
The truth is, though, that political campaigns always become more feverish and slanderous the closer it gets to election day. The way this is going so far, the presidential election could become quite “special” and not in a good way.
I worry about the victims of all the nastiness. In this case there’s one Guy who has been getting bashed beyond belief by just about everyone. Funny thing is, He’s not even a candidate and, for a fact, I don’t think He cares a fig about politics whatsoever, though I know some will tell you otherwise.
Yeah, my old friend Jesus has been taking a licking this election cycle, though so far as I am aware, the last words he spoke were uttered roughly 2,000 years ago.
Don’t think that this has just come from one candidate or another, either. Nope, everybody has been piling on, with some insisting they “know” exactly what he would say about, say, climate change. This, despite the fact that those red letters in my Bible don’t seem to address it whatsoever.
Others say that the fact that there are no words on another point means he is just fine with what is happening.
Some who call themselves by his name have twisted themselves into pretzels trying to prove the truth of their questionable interpretations. These are often the same people who claim that the Bible means exactly what it says, nothing more or less.
Other people say it’s all hooey and say that’s proved by the fact that so many Christians significantly disagree on so much.
Jesus’ name has been run through the gutter both by those who believe and those who don’t.
I should say, upfront, that I’m a believer, though I won’t deny having periods when questions seep into my thoughts. Even when that happens, though, I still believe. I’ve seen too much to do otherwise For me, the truth slaps me upside the head on a regular basis.
Having said that, I’d be darn skeptical of anything any politician would tell me about religion. The best way to be a believer — my opinion only — is to live your religion and not go around shouting it.
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words,” is the supposed instruction of St. Francis of Assisi, though there is some speculation that he never said those exact words. I’d bet it is a statement he would have agreed with.
Jesus isn’t one to whine about the mistreatment, though. You’ll never hear Him carp about getting treated unfairly, though I can’t think of anyone else who has as much reason to complain.
There’s a whole group of people who seem to think they need to save Jesus from these assaults, including some of the people who are doing the damage.
This seems to be a reversal of the true roles. Jesus came to save us, not for us to save him. Probably we’d to better to keep to our side of the street and not try to play God.
In the end, no matter what anyone tells you, Jesus is going to love you as much the day after the election as He did the day before, no matter how you vote or, I suspect, if you decide not to vote at all.
That’s just the way He rolls. We should be so faithful.
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