When Everything Is Political
Let me start with the point and then work backwards. In our world, and especially the 2 countries where All Things New operates, everything seems to always go back to politics. The problem with this is that when everything turns political, we forget about the very people that we are supposed to love, care for, and pray for.
In Haiti, you have an opposition group made up of a few different players, a party that is in power including President Moise, and then you have the people. It's almost like there is this war between groups of people who desperately want power over the country and they are fighting this war at the expense of the people. When they shut down streets, people who are already suffering cannot do business and they suffer more. When money pours into the country and banks destroy the exchange rate (for their own gain) or rich, corrupt men and women take "aid" money for themselves, the people who are used to living in poverty just remain there.
In America, there are 2 political parties that have absolutely no compassion for one another. It seems like those subjects about which Americans disagree the most have become the only topics worth discussing. We are so quick to call out people who disagree with us as liars or people who hate America without ever considering the possibility that we can just disagree. That there are some people who truly want what's best for America, it is just different than what we think is best for America. So politicians fight against each other at the expense of the very people that they are supposed to work together to help.
I know that this comes with the backdrop of Covid, and everything is exacerbated when you cannot live your life like normal. At the same time, the question I keep thinking about is this:
What happens to People when Politics take over?
The problem with politics is that it replaces people with policies, institutions, and political ideals. Did you know that you can actually love the LBGTQ community while maintaining your belief in and love for Christian marriage? I have a really good friend here in Jacksonville who I know is against abortion, so she pours her time and energy into the Crisis Pregnancy Center here so that young women have a chance to hear GOD's heart for their babies and have a person like my friend who will fight for them and with them no matter what. She loves the women in spite of what their decision may be. On the other hand...
- When everything is politics, those that do not have homes, jobs, or money are called "lazy" and looked down upon when, in Christ, it should be an honor and a privilege for us to give out of our abundance to those that need it.
- When everything is politics, those that consider themselves "transgender" become an affront to our society and a talking point on political tv and radio rather than a person who needs our compassion and our prayer.
- When everything is politics, abortion clinics are picketed against and those who have had abortions are mocked and derided by the very people who have absolutely no intention of doing anything to help. In Christ, those same women are loved, cared for, and prayed for by the very people who would give up everything to fight for moms and to be the parents of kids who need them. What if 1 out of every 1000 people who demonstrated against abortion clinics instead became foster or adoptive families or used that time to volunteer?
- When everything is politics, we make excuses for the people we agree with when they are wrong and slam the people we disagree with when they are right, when in Christ, right is right and wrong is wrong.
- When everything is politics, we use words and phrases like "they" and "those people" to describe men and women who, in Christ, should be considered our brothers and sisters.
I have to ask myself and anyone else reading this blog...What is more important, To Be Right or To Be Godly? I can promise you, in the eyes of the world, that you cannot always be both.
Throughout the Word of GOD, we are called to minister to the orphan, the widow, and the alien, but not because every single person who fits into these categories needs our help. These words are used as a way to describe people who would have been alone, in need, and hurting and it is to people like this that we are still called.
My plea for everyone in Haiti, everyone in America, and myself in regards to this is to forget about politics for a while. Do not give up fighting against things and institutions that GOD would fight against, because there are many things and institutions that are wrong both in America and Haiti. But also, do not confuse these things and institutions with the very people that Jesus Christ Himself would have done anything for...Including giving His Life...Which He did.
When politics is everything, it is so easy to forget what it is like to be "Without hope and without GOD in this world." When GOD is everything, we put people first, over politics, just like Jesus put us first when He died on the Cross and our eternity was secured!