WARNING:  This is a no-edit zone…

From the age of three, I’ve had an avid interest in politics.  My father’s influence.  We would read  and discuss the front page of the newspaper before I was permitted to read the cartoons.  Marmaduke, actually.  And I was very fond of Marmaduke.

It was my mother who advised me from a very early age that it is wise to not comment overly on religion, politics or someone else’s spouse.  It was good advice.

And yet it is nearly impossible to heed that advice when one looks at the political climate in our country and innately feels that it is destructive to our country.

The Bible charges us with the key responsibility to love one another.  With some, that’s easy.  But when others are attacking us, and attacking something as interwoven in us as our faith, it frankly makes them a lot harder to love.  Of course, we know that is the very time when our love is most needed.  Love turns tides, changes hearts and minds and opinions.  Love conquers all.  Christ proved it in conquering death.

And yet, even aware of the power of love to transform, the human being in us has a difficult time loving those who define themselves as our enemies.  Who attack the things we most love.  Who degrade that which hold in the highest esteem.

So it is a vivid reminder to us that to get to USA one must go through US.

This election too shall pass, like all those before it, and when it does, then Americans must come together as a nation to chart our course for the coming years.

We’re wise enough to know that since the first time there were two people there have been divergent opinions.  We’re wise enough to know that divergent opinions is a good thing.  By defending or rejecting, we solidify our own positions, further define them, discover that which we hold most dear and those lines which we will not cross.

Much has been said and done.  Many comparisons have been made.  Political posturing and in particular, political rancor, might be unpleasant but unfortunately it isn’t uncommon.

The idealist in me wishes that rather than attacks and smears and misstatements and half-truths, each individual would simply state their positions on the issues and call it done.

The idealist in me wishes that rather than personal and private agendas and alliances, each individual would choose to serve from the heart and only from the heart, for the greater good.

The realist in me knows neither will happen for many reasons, the first of which is they will never agree on a single definition of the greater good.

And that has the Christian in me on my knees praying for our leaders, our country, and yes, for those  who define themselves as our enemies.

Changing hearts might seem above our capabilities.  And yet many human beings have inspired many significant changes.  Not one time, but throughout history. The father of our country, George Washington, once worried that the two-party system would divide us and create an environment detrimental to it.  That it could create a downfall.

With as much time as we’ve spent in gridlock, I worry about that, too.  I worry that the collective mentality has become so entrenched in Republican or Democrat that American has gotten tromped and lost in the fray.

So I’m going to hope that changing hearts isn’t above our capabilities.  That we will all remember that to get to USA you must get to US, and that we will remember it.  And I’m going pray.  Hard.

For our country, for our leaders, for those against us.  Because while our capabilities to combat the true impact of political posturing are limited, God’s are not.  And while our ability to foster change through inspiration is limited to belief in us (for or against what we’re advocating), God’s abilities know no restrictions.  Belief in Him doesn’t limit His power or enhance it.  He, we have on the authority of His Word, does not change.

We, I hope and pray, do.

Blessings,

Vicki

c2008, Vicki Hinze
Vicki Hinze
Affirmation.   Inspiration.  Confirmation.