Avoiding Politics!

 

I saw this picture on Facebook and loved it until I started reading some of the comments. 

Most of you know I have been dedicated to staying away from politics in my social media posts for at least seven years. I came to that conclusion after the extremely divisive presidential race leading up to November 2016. So, don't get the wrong idea about me posting this picture!

I love it when I see men praying. Just to take the public step to pray sends a great message to the world. As I read the comments under this social media post, it got pretty ugly. Was this staged? Is this a political stunt? Does this mean our new House Speaker and the people in this picture are better than the others not present? Are they more connected to God and will not fail because of this prayer? What about gun control, abortion, secure borders, Hamas, Israel? What about racial justice, peace, and equality? This picture provoked such an ugly response.

As I was reading in Hosea today, I came upon a comment I had written in my Bible at some point in the distant past. Here are the verses:

"Then they will say, 'We have no king because we didn't fear the Lord. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us anyway?' They spout empty words and make covenants they don't intend to keep. So injustice springs up among them like poisonous weeds in a farmer's field." (Hosea 10:3-4)

My comment next to these verses just says, "Avoid politics." 

The sad part about the ugly comments on social media and those tied to this posted picture is that many were posted by my fellow believers. Many of those posts were the ugliest! Come on fellow believers we can do better than this! IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY....... DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL!

Where in the gospels does it say we will be successful in arguing someone to heaven? Where does it say our vile comments will make disciples of all nations? Where does it say we don't have to love someone who votes differently than we do? Can we love a Republican, a Democrat, a Socialist, a Gay, a Transgender, a straight man/woman, a Muslim, a Christian, a Catholic, a Jew, a ..... you fill in the blank!

Hosea had some great advice for us;

"I said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you." (Hosea 10:12)

God's plan is so simple and is not up for political debate. The message is simple. We are to plant seeds of righteousness. That is hard to do if we are at war with our fellow man!

"So now, come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on him." (Hosea 12:6)

Come on brothers and sisters in Christ, LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE! There are NO exceptions!