Love, Politics, and Service
November 09, 2023
We cannot love our neighbors as ourselves if we refuse to take the effort to see the world through our neighbors' eyes or try to imagine life in his or her skin.
We cannot love our neighbor without learning to sing the songs of lament and the entire book of Lamentations.
We cannot love our neighbor by telling him or her what he or she should be or not be feeling.
We cannot love our neighbor without tears. We cannot love our neighbor by having an answer for every word our neighbor speaks in fear or frustration.
We love our neighbor more with our ears than our words. When we do use words, we love our neighbor more by what we speak on behalf of our neighbor than what we say to that neighbor.
We cannot love our neighbor by taking our scripts from Job's friends and having all the trite answers organized and ready to spout. We cannot love our neighbor without working at it and putting aside our own interests and opinions long enough to understand.
We cannot love our neighbor while belittling our neighbor. And ... we cannot love God without loving our neighbor.
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Loving our neighbor defines us as Jesus followers in a way that makes us oddballs.
This is not to be resisted or defended.
The world has always been indifferent and hostile to the values of those who center their core convictions in the prophetic and merciful Word of God.
That will continue and so will our mandate to speak truth to power, stand with the oppressed, be misunderstood, be in a minority, and be faithful to truth.
No political system represents us, We are sojourners, We are peculiar people. We pray for our leaders and pray with hope that hearts and policies can be shaped by truth.
We also must hold every system accountable for justice in unpopular causes and for marginalized people who are mistrusted and hated. Whoever you supported leading up to yesterday, you have a big job ahead if you will truly follow Jesus in the areas of His biases - to pray - act- speak - and sometimes resist. Our King is in the midst and He is King.
"God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
'How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.'"
(Psalm 82:1-4 ESV)
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When I was still doing volunteer chaplaincy, I scribbled these notes:
On Thursdays, I put on a volunteer chaplain badge and walk the halls of one of our local hospitals visiting patients. I often walk in wondering how long I can keep doing it because of time constraints. I generally leave wondering how I could ever give it up. I learn lessons and receive more than I give:
1) Time becomes less relevant than living and serving in the moment. You go with the flow and find that the flow helps you go and God takes care of the timing.
2) It takes very little time and effort to connect with someone in pain if you come with open heart, open mind, open hands, and few words. A listening ear and a gentle touch communicate much love.
3) Compassion speaks and is reciprocal. People want to give and do give, even when they are utterly depleted in body and strength.
4) There is much gratitude in these rooms. I seldom find as much gratitude on the streets as I encounter in this context.
5) You do not have to speak the same language to connect. There are universal languages that often cross linguistic barriers: love, prayer, touch. When I come in the name of Jesus, there is often an unseen translator in the room because it is, after all, His voice that calms the storm.
6) You cannot fake genuine care, but even the coldest heart submitted to the grace and compassion of God can be taught to care -- quickly. On your worst days, God can use you if you place yourself at His disposal.
7) Where I go, my whole church goes. When I minister, it is because I have The Fellowship of Joy and 4141 Ministries with me. I carry them in my heart and they make it possible for me to give my time to the community. I do not push our church at the hospital or identify myself as its representative, but I know and others seem to find out. Where you go and serve, you are always part of a body of God's servants who have formed a community of support and equipping.
Ultimately, all we have to give is the presence of Jesus in us and through us. We have wonderful chaplains of other faiths who pray and care. My role is to be who I am and meet people where they are. I come in the name of Jesus, not to be pushy about my faith, but openly and honestly sharing His love.
9) I spoke with a deputy sheriff in the hall who was guarding a patient in custody. He was so moved by the caring of the nurses and the pain around him that he was considering becoming a nurse in his next career. He loves his work, but he wants to keep giving and serving. Everyone in that hospital needs a little pastoral care. The nurse and caregivers are ministers of God in ways that I can never be. They are so often grateful for our support.
10) I walk out with more energy than I come in with. That is what ministry does. That is how the Holy Spirit works.
Perhaps you might consider being a chaplain if your heart resonates with this.
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Testing this statement:
The first job of politics is to tell the truth whether or not is supports our narrative.