This is by no means an easy day - I do not pretend to have the answers - other than Jesus (1Cor 3:1-5)
As much as there is relief and rejoicing to be done with regards to life being dignified, there are lives around us who are mourning, angry, feeling betrayed and abandoned, and feel as though they have not been dignified, that they are not being dignified and it is ours to minister to both…
Blessed are those who… Matthew 5
Mourn
...are meek - not driven by worldly wants, but humble, gentle, lowly…
Hunger and thirst for righteousness - God’s merciful grace expressed in His goodness, fairness, and justness
The peacemaker - expressing kindness - in and out of season (Ps 1)
Standing in the midst of the carnage… that is our culture…
Who are we to minister to? Whomever we encounter.
How are we to minister to them? In view of the mercy we have received and continue to receive - we are to minister with (that same) mercy and grace, sympathy and compassion, kind loving girded by truth. (Matt 5; Ro 5)
What are we supposed to do?
We must have a proper perspective - we have to be careful to not get caught up in the “macro” - that doesn’t mean don’t care - pray, be informed, have curious and gentle and compassionate discussions, and vote
Why is perspective important? Because, most of us will have a little direct influence on the direction of this country, in a political way, we must remember certainly, that prayer is a transformative discipline that places us in the midst of things that we are selves cannot be a part of. Our responsibility, each one of us, is for the lives, the life in front of us. The lives, the persons, this person, we encounter. The people and persons, each one, who we encounter and have actual opportunity to bless and minister to
Yes, it is an issue, but there are people, persons, at the heart of this - and not everyone is - what we might perceive as an enemy. And even if they are what perceive as an enemy - how are we to treat them? (Matt 5; Luke 6; Rom 12). We must not forget that we are talking about people, persons, a person - loved by God, to whom Jesus was sent, and for whom Jesus gave Himself.
Therefore, we must ask ourselves, can one
“Can be pro-life and still hurt for the hurting?”
“Can one be pro-life and not care about the life standing in front of them - now?”
“Who am I absolved from loving, who am allowed to not love?” (1John 2:5; 4:17)
Trust God’s sovereignty, as difficult as that can be do what you are supposed to do - be a witness, an ambassador from another kingdom, sent - while God does what He will do.
Psalm 82 “the gods…”, rulers of the peoples, unjust and uncaring. Do we believe and trust God’s sovereignty and His ability to bring about His will - “...on earth as it is heaven…”?
How do we honor God’s sovereignty, and truly join Him in His governing?
1Timothy 2 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.
Isaiah 58 …the people - our privileged responsibility to minister to the broken…
Who are the Oppressed among you? You will only know if you engage and listen, pray, care, and when given the opportunity, when asked the reason for your hope - share - and that with “gentleness and respect”.
We cannot allow ourselves to be swept into the national landscape in a way that keeps us from the person in front of us.
We cannot allow ourselves to be swept up in the frenzy, dragged into arguments, provoked into the vitriol. we cannot be condescending or gloating, proud, or callous. Yes, we are called to “rejoice with those who rejoice”, and to rejoice when we see goodness prevail, and consider any good, right, and fair judgment or justice. But, it is also ours also to mourn with those who mourn and extend mercy and grace to those who so desperately need it. Those who are truly struggling - fearful and confused.
Jesus came for the people, and the peoples, but never forsook the person. He was never too busy or preoccupied to stop and engage and touch and heal and feed and speak. Jesus did not merely come to tell us the truth, but to be the truth, and then, to be and show us the way and the life.
John 1:16-17 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Why? Psalm 8
Ps 139:13-18 “…fearfully and wonderfully made…”
But, lest we forget, there are those who are entrapped in the system, by the system, and we dare not be a part of that system…
John 8:1- “…they used this question as a trap…” the woman caught in the middle
Let us not get caught in the trap of arguing the issues, debating the politics, merely defending moralities, and in the process lose sight of the hearts which we are to fight for and be ready, willing, and able to be merciful to and to love. Let us not forget our own sin and be mindful, even thankful God‘s grace toward us relative to the consequences of our own sin - we have sinned, we do sin, it is only the merciful grace of God that we stand here now - therefore, we are called to - Empathize, sympathize, have compassion, and desire to bring comfort, needs to be our aim.
This, now, is not about politics or issues, this is about ministering to others - mercy, grace, kindness…
Matthew 5 a blessed are the… persecuted
And you will be misunderstood, expect it.
1Cor 2:10-16 you will not be understood, your goodness will be misinterpreted as much or more than it will be received and appreciated - just let it be Jesus’ presence in you that is dispised - not our attitude or argumentativeness, our condescension or gloating.
Please understand - your loving kindness, the extension of mercy and grace - does not guarantee a like response, in fact, you will be more often than not - misunderstood, your words and actions misinterpreted, your motives judged as impure
And, that has to be ok - do not be angry, indignant, vindictive, neither try to defend yourself (your extending) or God, just be persistent and constant in your loving
To expect or insist on something in return for our love and kindness is not really loving another, but self or the idea of loving (to be) loved or the feeling of having loved and having it received and appreciated…
This is what Jesus meant by love your enemies and do good to those who mistreat you - we do not love to be loved In return, we love because that’s what love does - especially when one’s been loved as we have been loved - forgiven as we have been forgiven. (Luke 7:47)
There was no one more merciful, gracious, kind, and loving than Jesus. And we know how that ended. And he himself said, if they have hated me, they will hate you all the more. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. And what was the driving force behind the persecution? His mercy and grace completely misinterpreted and misunderstood, righteousness and the goodness that stood before the people, and would but it’s on nature convict the unrighteousness and the hearts of those confronted by that righteous goodness.
John 15:18-21 18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ b If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
And therefore, how would we act in the face of being misunderstood, having done good goodly yet being seen as a hypocrite, an enemy…
If you have had an abortion, have suggested and paid for an abortion, have found yourself in a position of panic and confusion, there is hope - there is forgiveness and healing
