No One Owns This...

Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Proverbs 31:8

Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. Hebrews 13:3 (NKJV)

REFLECTION:

This has been been on my heart for a long time, and today's verses open an important door to be able to say it...

We make a huge mistake when we associate care for the poor with any political movement over against any other political movement.

Even a quick glance at history will tell you that partisan movements come and go...and they change drastically within even a short span of time. At various points in our history, we have had the "Federalist," "Democratic-Republican," and "Whig" parties, and the modern versions of the Democratic and Republican parties would be hardly recognizable to those who called themselves by those titles even two or three generations ago.

In the midst of all those changes, however, the messages of the Bible have stood unchanged:

As Christians, not partisans, we are called to speak for those who cannot speak, and to defend the rights of the destitute. (Proverbs reading above)

As Christians, not partisans, we are called to remember prisoners as if we were chained with them. (Hebrews reading above).

As Christians, not partisans, we are called to leave some provisions from our harvest for the alien, the orphan, and the widow (Deuteronomy 24 says this many times).

As Christians, not partisans, we are called to wrestle with these words from James:
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27)

As Christians, not partisans, we are called to "love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Deuteronomy 10:19)

I could go on...but here's the point:

No modern party owns these values...these are not Republican values or Democratic values...and you can identify with either of those temporary human movements and still live out these values.

In fact, these values are something that can UNITE Christians who vote red or blue. These are the things we can agree on.

HOW we carry them out - well, there's always room for debate on that. How do we find a balance between what we are called to do individually and what we are called to do collectively through our churches, our governments and our taxes? That's the stuff of respectful public debate, and it is always in flux. But the fact that these are our values as Christians is not debatable.

Jesus' final command to his disciples in the Gospel of John makes it very clear... "as the Father has sent me, so I send you..." (John 20:21) Even a quick look at the life of Jesus tells us how we should approach those in need, if we are sent as he was sent.

SO, the next time you hear someone playing the partisan games, claiming that you can "only" be a Christian and vote this way or that way, take a deep breath. Political parties come and go. Partisan ideals come and go, and change over time.

What doesn't change is our call to BE God's love, both individually and together...
...and THAT'S a movement that we are ALL a part of!

PRAYER:
God, it is so tempting to play the partisan games; to try to read between the lines of others' words to find out who is "us" and who is "them." Form us all today into your followers, united in the call to be your love both individually and together. Give us the grace to forgive and love those different from us, and to work together with them toward the healing work that is our call in you. Amen.