I’ve tried to avoid the television coverage regarding the confirmation hearing s of the proposed Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh. I’ve tried to avoid both sides of the political aisle, both sides of the American system of grandstanding and both sides of complete rubbish we call news. However, I made the mistake of watching “the news” this evening.
In case your wondering, I am neither pro-Kavanaugh or anti-Kavanaugh. I do not know him at all. I have not read his positions on many things that I think should matter in our country. I am however completely, totally and overwhelmingly anti-rhetoric, anti-hate-speech, and completely sick of finger pointing, personal attacks and lack of facts, truth, decency or even common civility in our country. It is childish, selfish, evil and it is pathetic.
And before you get fully armed behind your keyboard to launch an assault on whichever side you are on – STOP! We – Me and You…we are perpetuating this villainous incivility by watching and repeating the same half-truths that are being touted as news.
I fear that we have trained at least one full generation to never seek to change the world for good because you will be hated and hailed as the next horrific human on the planet. Again, lest you think I am touting this as a proud Republican, right-winged preacher that is blind to the foolishness of both sides – STOP! I am filled with the kind of anger that is rooted in the firm belief that populous expediency is a fool’s errand. I am angry that we have bought the lie that the Divine is truly riding either a donkey or an elephant.
My friend, when He comes again, it won’t be on anything a simple as a jackass or a tired circus elephant. When He returns there will be no foolish pandering for the cameras. There will be no saying what you think will gain your party’s allegiance.
You might say Great! Way to go Chuck. Your idea is to just stick your head in the sand and hope things get better? NO! My idea is that we —
- Choose to grow up and make our part of this world far better by simply speaking the truth in love.
- Choose to offer forgiveness to those who are not worthy of it.
- Choose to allow the presence of the Divine within you to fill you with so much grace, so much mercy and so much compassion that we cannot help but be inextricably connected to how the Savior of the world treated us.
- To stop pointing a bony finger of guilt at the world and take a long look in our mirror and choose to be grateful, gracious and kind to all peoples.
- To get off of our proverbial stumps and stop screaming at people. I have never found it possible to introduce Jesus to somebody while simultaneously screaming at them.
This is a messed up world we live in and as long as we carry the same selfish position on every single issue as a result of ignorance, we will continue to spiral out of control in our lack of civility. As a Follower of Jesus, I do not want my grandkids to inherit this evil incivility that has been thrown into the sewer to reside as the filth of humanity.
As for me, don’t bother asking which side of the aisle I line up with. I’m sick to my stomach of the gross disregard for decency on both sides.
I cannot imagine any of our best and brightest wanting to enter the arena of foolishness known as politics. I pray my grandsons and granddaughters will never consider it. But then, I am a pastor with convictions that don’t line up with theological conservatives or theological liberals. I just happen to line up with Jesus. I grow more and more confident that He is who He said He was and He is the only hope for this world.
Believing that can get you in some hot water with both sides of the theological aisle. But if He is enough to split time in half, leave Heaven for the earth as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, live a sinless, perfect life, offer His life up as a sacrifice for the worlds sin and selfishness, beat death and raise from the dead, go back to Heaven and sit on the throne of the universe and welcome every believer a home with an eternity of peace…well, He is more than enough. And, He is worthy of better. Better than the silly filth we offer in places like Washington DC and in Sugar Hill, Georgia.
Please, folks, let’s crawl out of the sewer and claim our rightful place as the image bearers of the Most-High God.
–AChuck
